2017 NHL expansion draft
| 2017 NHL expansion draft | |
|---|---|
![]() | |
| General information | |
| Date | June 21, 2017 |
| Location | T-Mobile Arena Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| Overview | |
| League | National Hockey League |
| Expansion team | Vegas Golden Knights |
| Expansion season | 2017–18 |
The 2017 NHL expansion draft was an expansion draft conducted by the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 18–20, 2017 to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 2017–18 season, the Vegas Golden Knights. The team's selections were announced on June 21 during the NHL Awards ceremony at T-Mobile Arena.
After Las Vegas' expansion bid was approved in June 2016, the Golden Knights began formal operations in March 2017. Vegas selected one player from each of the league's 30 franchises, with 19 going on to play for Vegas in their inaugural season. A further three inaugural-season players were acquired in trades relating to the Golden Knights' draft selections. As of the start of the 2025–26 season, four of those 22 players remain with the franchise, with three having continuous tenures.
Background
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In the off-season before the 2015–16 NHL season, the NHL opened a window for ownership groups to bid for expansion teams for the first time since 2000.[1] Two ownership groups submitted bids to the league: one each from Las Vegas and Quebec City. The Vegas bid would make the NHL the first "Big Four" major professional sports league to place a franchise in Las Vegas,[2] though the league previously had a limited presence in the city with annual pre-season games, beginning with an outdoor game in 1991 and the Frozen Fury series held each year since 1997. Quebec City was previously home of the Quebec Nordiques, a team that had moved in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche; it has hosted occasional preseason games since that time,[3][4] and has constructed a new ice hockey arena to receive a potential NHL team. Due to political delays, a bid was not submitted from Seattle despite the presence of three different ownership groups publicly campaigning to start an NHL team; a number of other potential expansion sites, such as Kansas City and Saskatchewan, declined to place bids because of cost concerns.[3] Expansion to Seattle was later approved in 2018,[5] with the franchise entering the league in 2021.
Las Vegas was approved for the 2017–18 NHL season on June 22, 2016; at the same time the Quebec City bid was deferred, largely because of concerns over the Canadian dollar's value and the geographic balance of the league's conferences.[6] Former Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee was named Las Vegas' first general manager on July 13,[7] with the team's name revealed as the Vegas Golden Knights on November 22.[8] Five days after formally entering the league on March 1, 2017,[9] the Golden Knights signed Canadian center Reid Duke to a three-year, entry-level contract, making him the franchise's first player.[10] A month later, on April 13, recently-fired Florida Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant was named Vegas' first head coach.[11] The same month, the NHL announced that the Golden Knights' expansion draft selections would be announced alongside the annual NHL Awards ceremony at T-Mobile Arena, the Golden Knights' home arena.[12]
Rules
The initial proposal of the rules for the draft was decided upon by the NHL in March 2016.[13] They allowed each team to either protect seven forwards, three defencemen, and one goaltender or one goaltender and eight skaters regardless of position. Because the NHL wanted to ensure the competitive viability of the new team, the number of protected players allowed was lower than in the 2000 NHL expansion draft which populated the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets, when each team could protect nine forwards, five defencemen, and one goalie, or two goalies, three defencemen, and seven forwards. Under these rules, each of the 30 teams would lose one top-four defenceman or third-line forward per number of new teams.[13] Only players with more than two years of professional experience — NHL or AHL as defined in the collective bargaining agreement—were included in the draft.[14]
Teams had to submit their list of protected players by June 17, 2017. They had to expose at least two forwards and one defenceman that had played at least 40 games in the 2016–17 season or more than 70 games in the 2015–16 season and 2016–17 seasons combined, and had to still be under contract for the 2017–18 season. The exposed goaltender had to either be under contract for the 2017–18 season or have become a restricted free agent following the 2016–17 season. At least 20 of the 30 players selected by Vegas had to be under contract for the 2017–18 season, and they were required to select a minimum of 14 forwards, nine defencemen and three goaltenders.[15] Vegas was granted a 48-hour window prior to the draft to sign any pending free agent (restricted or unrestricted, one per team) that was left unprotected. If a team lost a player to Vegas during this signing window they did not have a player selected from their roster during this draft.[16]
Teams were required to protect any contracted players with no move clauses (NMCs) with one of the team's slots for protected players, unless the contract expired on July 1, 2017, in which case the NMC was considered void for the draft.[17][18] Players whose NMCs had limited no trade clauses had to still be protected, and any players with NMCs were able to waive the clause and become eligible for the expansion draft.[17]
Any player picked in the expansion draft could not have their contract bought out until after the completion of the 2017–18 season. Vegas was guaranteed the same odds in the draft lottery as the third–lowest finishing team from the 2016–17 NHL season for the 2017 NHL entry draft; after their first season they were subject to the same draft lottery rules as the other teams in the league. The NHL's deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, said that teams that did not follow the expansion draft rules would face penalties, saying "It's a loss of draft picks and/or players."[17][19]
Protected players
The protected players' list was published on June 18, 2017.[20]
Eastern Conference
* and Italics: Players protected for contractual reasons.[21]
Western Conference
Draft results
Key: LW = Left wing, C= Center, RW = Right wing, D = Defenseman, G = Goaltender



Trades

In return for agreeing to select certain unprotected players, the Golden Knights were granted concessions by other franchises in the form of draft picks or other players.[26][27]
| Team | Concession | Vegas selection | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Sabres | 6th-round pick in 2017 (#161 overall) | William Carrier | [28] |
| Florida Panthers | Reilly Smith | Jonathan Marchessault FLA receives 4th-round pick in 2018 |
[29] |
| Carolina Hurricanes | BOS 5th-round pick in 2017 (#142 overall) | Connor Brickley | [30] |
| Winnipeg Jets | 1st-round pick in 2017 (#13 overall) 3rd-round pick in 2019 |
Chris Thorburn WPG receives CBJ 1st-round pick in 2017 (#24 overall) |
[31] |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | Nikita Gusev 2nd-round pick in 2017 (#45 overall) PIT 4th-round pick in 2018 |
Jason Garrison | [32] |
| New York Islanders | Jake Bischoff Mikhail Grabovski 1st-round pick in 2017 (#15 overall) 2nd-round pick in 2019 |
Jean-Francois Berube | [33] |
| Anaheim Ducks | Shea Theodore | Clayton Stoner | [34] |
| Minnesota Wild | Alex Tuch | Erik Haula | [35] |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | David Clarkson 1st-round pick in 2017 (#24 overall) 2nd-round pick in 2019 |
William Karlsson | [36] |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 2nd-round pick in 2020 | Marc-Andre Fleury | [37] |
Four of the seven players acquired via concession trades eventually played for Vegas. Alex Tuch played four seasons with Vegas before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres during the 2021–22 season,[23][38] while Reilly Smith played six seasons and won the Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023 before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in June 2023.[23][39] Shea Theodore remains with the team as of 2025,[23] while Smith returned to Vegas via trade in March 2025.[40] Additionally, Jake Bischoff played four games for Vegas during the 2019–20 season,[23][41] and remained in Vegas' organization through the 2024–25 season.[42]
Nikita Gusev was signed by Vegas during the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs,[43] but was traded to the New Jersey Devils due to salary cap constraints before playing a game for the franchise.[44] Mikhail Grabovski had missed the entirety of the 2016–17 season with post-concussion syndrome; though he attended his physical with Vegas with the intention of returning,[45] he ultimately did not play a game for the team during his one year under contract.[23] Meanwhile, David Clarkson had not played since the 2015–16 season due to injury, with it being widely believed upon his acquisition that he would never play again; he subsequently remained on injured reserve until his contract was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 23, 2019.[46]
Post-draft
Not all players selected by the Golden Knights in the Expansion Draft remained with the team. Some players were traded in the following days, unrelated to the prior draft-concession trades. On June 22, the day after the draft, Trevor van Riemsdyk was traded alongside a seventh-round pick in 2018 to the Carolina Hurricanes for Pittsburgh's second-round pick in 2017;[47] meanwhile, David Schlemko was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for a fifth-round pick in 2019.[48] Four days later, on June 26, Marc Methot was traded to the Dallas Stars for Dylan Ferguson and a second-round pick in 2020.[49] Several days after the July free agency period opened, Alexei Emelin was traded to the Nashville Predators for a third-round pick in 2018.[50] First overall pick Calvin Pickard was originally intended to serve as the backup goaltender to Marc-Andre Fleury;[51] however, after Vegas claimed Malcolm Subban off waivers on October 3,[52] Pickard was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 6 for a sixth-round draft pick in 2018 and Tobias Lindberg.[53]
Three expansion draft selections were unrestricted free agents and were not re-signed by Vegas before free agency opened. Connor Brickley signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1,[54] while Chris Thorburn signed a two-year contract with the St. Louis Blues on the same day.[55] Finally, Jean-Francois Berube signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, also on July 1.[56]
Of the remaining 22 players selected by Vegas, 19 played at least one game for the team.[23] Teemu Pulkkinen and Griffin Reinhart spent their entire tenures with the franchise in the American Hockey League before departing in free agency, while Clayton Stoner spent the remainder of his contract on injured reserve before joining Vegas' organization as a junior team coach in 2019.[57][58] As of the start of the 2025–26 season, the ninth season after the draft, only William Karlsson and Brayden McNabb remain with Vegas.[23]
See also
References
- ^ Johnston, Chris (June 24, 2015). "NHL to announce opening of expansion process". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ Klein, Cutler (June 22, 2016). "From six teams to 31: History of NHL expansion". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Wyshynski, Greg (July 20, 2015). "NHL expansion deadline: No Seattle bids; Las Vegas, Quebec City apply (Reports)". Puck Daddy. Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
- ^ Boisvert, Yves (June 15, 2016). "Even if you build it, NHL still won't come to Quebec City". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (December 4, 2018). "Seattle NHL expansion approved by Board of Governors". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
- ^ Rosen, Dan (June 23, 2016). "Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise". NHL.com. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
- ^ "McPhee named GM of Las Vegas expansion team". July 13, 2016. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved July 13, 2016.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights reveal name, logo". NHL.com. November 22, 2016. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ Carp, Steve (March 1, 2017). "Golden Knights make final payment to NHL ahead of trade deadline". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights sign Reid Duke as 1st-ever player". CBC Sports. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "Golden Knights Name Gerard Gallant Head Coach". NHL.com. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
- ^ Carp, Steve (April 18, 2017). "Expansion Draft, NHL Awards to share T-Mobile stage June 21". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Seravalli, Frank (March 16, 2016). "NHL presents potential expansion draft plans". TSN. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ Johnston, Chris (June 10, 2016). "NHL teams receiving information on potential expansion draft". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
- ^ "Rules for 2017 Expansion Draft". June 22, 2016. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "NHL Las Vegas to get 48-hour free agency window in June: Report". October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ^ a b c Nelson, Dustin (June 11, 2016). "Expansion Draft Rules Gain Clarity". The Hockey Writers. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
- ^ Hume, Mike and Neil Greenberg (June 16, 2016). "Five teams that should really stress about the NHL's Las Vegas expansion draft". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
- ^ "New Expansion Draft Rule Called The 40/70 Rule Leaked". SinBin.vegas. June 11, 2016. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
- ^ "NHL Expansion Draft protected list revealed". NHL.com. June 18, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
- ^ Johnston, Chris (November 23, 2016). "Official NHL expansion draft exempt list contains surprises". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ Russo, Michael (June 14, 2023). "From undrafted to Conn Smythe: Jonathan Marchessault's 'bumpy ride' to hockey's pinnacle is complete". The Athletic. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Vegas Golden Knights Skaters". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ "Karlsson of Golden Knights wins Lady Byng for NHL sportsmanship". NHL.com. June 20, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Expansion Draft Transactions". NHL.com. June 22, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "Marc-Andre Fleury, Marc Methot, James Neal headline Golden Knights' expansion draft haul". ESPN.com. June 21, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "NHL 2017 Expansion Draft". hockey-reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ Buffalo Sabres [@BuffaloSabres] (June 22, 2017). "The @GoldenKnights select William Carrier from the Sabres in the Expansion Draft & acquire a 6th-round pick in the…" (Tweet). Retrieved June 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Panthers Acquire 2018 Fourth Round Draft Choice from Vegas". June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ^ Carolina Hurricanes [@NHLCanes] (June 22, 2017). "[NEWS] @GoldenKnights Select Connor Brickley in #VegasDraft → Details: #Canes deal a fifth-round pick to Vegas" (Tweet). Retrieved June 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Jets swap first-round picks with Golden Knights". June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ "Defenseman Jason Garrison selected by Vegas Golden Knights". June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ "Vegas acquires Grabovski, first-round pick from Islanders". June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ "Ducks Trade Theodore to Vegas Golden Knights". June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ "Erik Haula, Alex Tuch Head to Vegas in Expansion Draft". June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
- ^ "Golden Knights select William Karlsson in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft". June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
- ^ Pittsburgh Penguins [@penguins] (June 22, 2017). "The Golden Knights also get a 2nd round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft from the Penguins" (Tweet). Retrieved June 22, 2017 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Eichel traded to Golden Knights by Sabres for Tuch, Krebs, draft picks". nhl.com. November 4, 2021.
- ^ "Smith traded to Penguins from Golden Knights". nhl.com. June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Smith traded to Golden Knights by Rangers for Brisson, draft pick". nhl.com. March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ "Jake Bischoff". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference, LLC. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ Erickson, Josh (August 15, 2025). "Jake Bischoff, Gage Quinney Sign With KHL's Shanghai Dragons". Pro Hockey Rumors. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights sign forward Nikita Gusev to entry-level contract". Vegas Golden Knights. April 14, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
- ^ "Devils sign, acquire Gusev from Vegas". The Sports Network. July 29, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
- ^ Hassett, Peter (September 14, 2025). "Mikhail Grabovski is in Vegas, wants to play again". Russian Machine Never Breaks. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Leafs reacquire David Clarkson and his contract, send Sparks to Vegas". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. July 23, 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2022.
- ^ "Trevor van Riemsdyk traded to Hurricanes by Golden Knights". NHL.com. June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- ^ "The Canadiens acquired defenseman David Schlemko". NHL.com. June 22, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
- ^ "Vegas Acquires Draft Pick, Dylan Ferguson From Dallas For Marc Methot". NHL.com. June 26, 2017. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
- ^ Sadler, Emily (July 1, 2017). "Golden Knights trade Alexei Emelin to Predators". Sportsnet. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ "Golden Knights reveal winner of Calvin Pickard's mask contest". Sportsnet. September 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ "Golden Knights Announce Several Roster Transactions". Vegas Golden Knights. October 3, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017 – via NHL.com.
- ^ "Maple Leafs acquire goalie Calvin Pickard from Vegas Golden Knights". Sportsnet. October 6, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2017.
- ^ "Florida Panthers Agree to Terms with Five Players". Florida Panthers. July 1, 2017.
- ^ Pinkert, Chris (July 1, 2017). "Blues Sign 3 Players at Start of Free Agency". St. Louis Blues.
- ^ "Blackhawks Agree to Terms with Berube and Oesterle". Chicago Blackhawks. July 1, 2017.
- ^ Boylen, Rory (July 31, 2019). "The 30 players taken in Vegas expansion draft: Where are they now?". sportsnet.ca. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "VJGK announce coaching staff and teams". Vegas Golden Knights. June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
