Seattle Dragons: A Draftless* 32nd Team Expansion

[PFellah]

In a surprising move, the NHL decided to accelerate the addition of the league's 32nd team to the 2018-19 season. As expected the city of Seattle was the recipient of the new franchise. The Arizona Coyotes were shifted to the Central Division to let the new Seattle team have some natural west-coast rivalries. But what happened next came as some surprise to the hockey world, as the newly-christened Seattle Dragons announced they would not be participating the expansion draft.

The team released the following statement:

Quote:

We appreciate the league's willingness to help create a level playing field, but we believe there are higher principles of fairness at work here. The idea that the league should be able to just decide whose contracts are to be breached and whose are to be honored strikes us as an unfair arrangement for the players, even if this organization would be a direct beneficiary of those choices. We seek to cultivate an environment where people are here because they chose to be here; we don't want anyone feeling like their career was hijacked by a bunch of guys in suits deciding where to send them. In short, we don't want to participate in a situation where players feel like they're being "forced" to play for an expansion club. If that means it takes us longer to build our team and reach our destination, that only means the victories will be that much sweeter when we finally achieve our goals together.

EDITOR NOTE
I wanted to come up with something a little different, perhaps a little more challenging, as well as something that had more of a classic expansion feel. So I came up with the idea that I would only draft UFAs and then release them all into the pool and build my team through the entry draft and free agency. (I did catch one RFA by accident because Ottawa literally did not have any UFAs that worked.)

Beyond that, I'll follow most of the same format I did with my Atlanta Firebirds franchise. Monthly updates, play one or two games by hand to generate some screenshots but sim the rest. I expect to have most of the book-keeping done today and start in earnest soon.

[PFellah]

SEASON CAPSULES

2018-2019
Key Additions (non-expansion draft): RW Andrei Svechnikov (#1 draft pick)
Key Departures: NONE (inaugural season)
Regular Season: 40-37-5, 85 points. 6th place in Pacific, missed wild-card by 4 points.
Playoffs: DID NOT MAKE PLAYOFFS
Summary: Seattle was actually doing pretty well in the first half of the season, briefly leading the division at one point, but never falling below third. But then came a brutal 3-9-2 February, from which they never fully recovered. They recovered just enough to be in contention for a wild-card slot, but an 0-4 April sealed the Dragons' fate.

2019-2020
Key Additions: C Andreas Athanasiou, D Nathan Beaulieu, G Sergei Bobrovsky, LW Yanni Gourde, D Tyler Myers, D Jamie Oleksiak, C Paul Stastny, RW Blake Wheeler
Key Departures: C Jay Beagle, RW Jannik Hansen, D Jack Johnson, RW Leo Komarov, G Robin Lehner, C Riley Sheahan
Regular Season: 26-53-3, 55 points. 7th in Pacific Division.
Playoffs: DID NOT MAKE PLAYOFFS
Summary: You'd think adding the top goalie (Sergei Bobrovsky), the top defenseman (Tyler Myers), and the second-best winger (Blake Wheeler) via free agency to a team that just missed the playoffs would push the Dragons into the post-season, but instead it was just a season-long sleepwalk that ended in an early-March fire sale (since Bob and Wheeler were one-year rentals). Wheeler was dealt to Vegas, Bobrobsky was sent to the Flyers, and a few other expiring contracts were also shipped out.

[PFellah]

RESERVED FOR UNIFORMS

SEATTLE DRAGONS


TACOMA TIGERS (farm team)

[PFellah]

SUMMER 2018: NEW BEGINNINGS

EXPANSION DRAFT

For posterity, here's the list of people I drafted and then released. In my head-canon, they just all elected to pursue free agency:
C Jay Beagle (WSH), G Jonathan Bernier (COL), LW David Booth (DET), LW Connor Brickley (FLA), LW Mike Cammalleri (EDM), D Kevin Connauton (ARI), D Calvin de Haan (NYI), G Chris Driedger (OTT), D Alexei Emelin (NSH), D Christian Folin (LA), D Cody Franson (CHI), RW Brian Gibbons (NJ), C Derek Grant (ANA), D Dan Hamhuis (DAL), RW Ales Hemsky (MTL), G Carter Hutton (StL), G Chad Johnson (BUF), D Jack Johnson (CBJ), LW Jussi Jokinen (VAN), RW Josh Jooris (PIT), LW Shawn Matthias (WPG), C Riley Nash (BOS), G Ondrej Pavelec (NYR), D Roman Polak (TOR), LW Matt Read (PHI), RW Lee Stempniak (CAR), D Andrej Sustr (TB), RW Kris Versteeg (CGY), RW Joel Ward (SJ), LW Daniel Winnik (MIN).

I tried to be as non-invasive as possible when selecting players but I did want to make sure there were going to be some players I wouldn't mind actually having on my team. All were RFAs except for Ottawa's Chris Driedger. I kinda got stuck there because all of Ottawa's expiring contracts were either RFAs or had extensions (which kick in when you select them in the expansion draft).

2018 ENTRY DRAFT
Seattle actually landed the 2nd pick. I briefly toyed around with trying to do a move-down deal with Montreal -- i.e. pick up a player or two for moving from 2nd to 6th -- but it never quite came together.

• 1-2-2 – RW Andrei Svechnikov (Russia, SNP). It was pretty much him or Filip Zadina. I feel like good Snipers are harder to find than TWFs, so Svechnikov wins out. Though, confession time: I actually questioned this choice because of Ovi one-shotting him in real life.
• 2-3-35 – C Ty Dellandrea (Canada, SNP). It was either him or Liam Foudy, and he’s slightly larger and a little younger. And slightly better scouted, though it’s 1 tick vs 2.
• 3-3-67 – D Ian Van Riemsdyk (USA, TWD). Elite potential, big kid at 6’2”.
• 4-3-99 – LW Pavel Kenins (UKR, GRN). Not sure what an “elite” grinder profiles to, but there’s not a lot else worth taking that wouldn’t be a stretch, so… OK.
• 5-3-131 – D Toni Utunen (Finland, OFD). I’m a sucker for OFD types.
• 6-3-163 – C Damien Giroux (Canada, TWF). Lottery ticket. Elite potential, but weak scouting. Also kinda small at 5’9”.
• 7-3-195 – G Jakub Skarek (Czech Republic, HYB). Lottery ticket, part 2.

I could see Svechnikov actually making the club out of the gate, but I'm still going to wait and see how things unfold before formally offering a contract.

EXCLUSIVE RESIGN
Nope. That's the whole point.

AND NOW, YOUR MOMENT OF ZEN...



Next stop... FREE AGENCY

[PFellah]

FREE AGENCY 2018: LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Well, this is going to be interesting. I don't know if it's a byproduct of expansion, or the point in the offseason at which the rosters were generated, but the free agent pool is pretty craptastic, particularly for forwards. On defense, I actually have a fair number of guys to choose from so I think I'll be okay there, but the forwards... I have to hit on a lot of guys to even have an average team.

First things first, I'm going to basically pick out a “starting 20” and for those guys, I'll go a few hundred K over their ask to try and lock them in early. From there, I’ll look at one or two “safety” picks per position that can slot in if I whiff on a starter, or they can hide in the minors. Lastly, I’ll grab as many prospecty types and lottery tickets as I can find. I don’t plan on signing anyone’s RFAs unless I can get them below the threshold for giving up a draft pick.

“STARTING 20” OFFERS

• C: Paul Stastny (4/4.4), Tyler Bozak (4/3.7), Riley Nash (3/3.0), Riley Sheahan (2/2.5).
• LW: David Perron (6/5.0), Michael Grabner (2/3.2), Scott Hartnell (2/1.3), Chris Kunitz (2/1.4)
• RW: Leo Komarov (3/2.1), Ryan Reaves (1/1.8), Joel Ward (1/1.3), Jannik Hansen (1/2.0). Though I figure I can probably leave a spot here for Svechnikov.
• D: Mike Green (4/4.5), Andrej Sustr (3/3.2), Ian Cole (5/4.2), Calvin de Haan (6/4.5), Jack Johnson (3/2.4), Joe Morrow (2/1.7)
• G: Robin Lehner (4/4.0), Chad Johnson (2/1.8)

Taking stock, if I somehow got all those guys at those prices, I’d have $58M in contracts committed, leaving about $21M. Defense and goaltending would be credible. Center and left wing would be... tolerable? Right wing is basically going to be a tire fire regardless.

Next, let's add a few other picks: a combination of "safety picks" in case the starting 20 guys fall through and a few kinda-sorta prospecty guys.

Safety/Depth Bids: C Jay Beagle (1/1.8), C Derek Grant (2/1.6), LW Brandon Pirri (1/.875), LW William Carrier (1/1.075)

Prospect Bids: C Cedric Paquette (2/1.4), LW Jacob de la Rose (1/1.05), A Erne (2/1.15), RW Beau Bennett (2/.850), RW J.C. Lipon (1/.675), D Slater Koekkoek (2/1.35).

It should be mentioned that Carrier, Erne, and Koekkoek are RFAs, so even if they sign, their original teams could match.

With those bids submitted, I still have about $10M left, but I think I’ll go with those for now and see how the market develops.

JULY 5
We have our first results, and… it’s actually most of a team! As well as the quickest $52M I've ever spent in this game.

SIGNED (24): C Jay Beagle, RW Beau Bennett, D Ian Cole, LW Jacob de la Rose, LW Michael Grabner, C Derek Grant, D Mike Green, RW Jannik Hansen, LW Scott Hartnell, G Chad Johnson, D Jack Johnson, RW Leo Komarov, LW Chris Kunitz, RW J.C. Lipon, D Joe Morrow, C Riley Nash, G Robin Lehner, C Cedric Paquette, LW David Perron, LW Brandon Pirri, RW Ryan Reaves, C Riley Sheahan, D Andrej Sustr, RW Joel Ward.
DECLINED, STILL IN PLAY (1): Tyler Bozak
DECLINED, SIGNED ELSEWHERE or RFA (5): LW William Carrier (VGK), D Calvin de Haan (NYR), LW Adam Erne (TB), D Slater Koekkoek (TB), C Paul Stastny (BOS)

That actually went much better than I'd hoped. Losing Stastny and Bozak hurts a little because center is a weak position, but I got both Grant and Beagle for insurance. I like de Haan, but not sure 6 years at 4.5 was smart money anyway, and I did land the entire rest of my defense corps. And the RFAs were always going to be long shots.

EDIT: Revisiting this after the fact, I had room to go back to Erne and Carrier. They didn't actually sign, they just rejected my offer, and their bids were still under the tender, so I could've made another pass but didn't.

Technically, none of my offers are still outstanding, so it’s almost like a partial reset to a more “normal” free agency cycle. I have about $25M in cap space, a few holes to fill, but if we’re being honest, there’s not much to buy.

FREE AGENCY 2.0 GOALS

• Might as well continue to make a run at Bozak, since I have the money to spend. Jump his offer to 4 years @ 3.8M. Probably an overpay, but we’ll figure it out later.
• What’s left on the wings isn’t notably better than what I have, so it would be spending money to spend money. Does adding Rick Nash or Mike Cammalleri really improve my team that much? I do need some bodies for the minors, but that’s about it. Or I suppose I could grab a few veterans for possible trade bait. I’ll circle back around after I look at other needs.
• Need at least one or two more defensemen to replace de Haan and have a real 7th. Dan Hamhuis (1 yr/2M) is boring, but as a 1-2 year stopgap, he’s fine. Similar with Alexei Emelin (3 yrs/1.6M). I also offer Christian Folin his ask (3 years @ 1.3M).
• Need some young goalies to develop in the minors. Niklas Rubin, Chris Driedger, and the colorfully named Elvis Merzlikins are all in that sorta-prospecty zone: 22-24 years old, rumored to have Starter potential. In an interesting coincidence, Driedger (2012) and Merzlikins (2014) were both pick #76 in their respective drafts. Rubin is two years younger than the others, for whatever that’s worth. I’m actually going to grab all three, and let competition sort out who sticks around.
• I do a quick scan for prospect types, but it’s not looking great. If you use “Top 6 F/Top 4 D under 25” as the cutoff, there doesn’t seem to be anyone left who’s not an RFA. Expanding it to Top 9 F/Top 6 D gives a few more options, but no one leaps out.

OK, let’s let the new round offers percolate and see where that leaves us.

JULY 8
Nik Rubin becomes the first of my minor-league goalies to sign.

JULY 9
All three defensemen (Hamhuis, Emelin, Folin) and the two goalies (Merzlikins and Driedger) accepted. Bozak rejected but still in play. Gonna try to go short deal but blow his money out of the water – 2 years @ 5M. Officially, that’s 30 players under contract and about $53M against the cap.

New offers: Bozak 2 years at 5M. Decide to offer on Mike Cammalleri (2/2.025M) and Jarome Iginla (1/1.35M) for veteran presence. Taylor Leier is low-end prospect so he gets an offer (2/1.125M); same with D Niko Mikkola (2/650k). Brian Gibbons (2/1.725M) and Matt Bartkowski (2/875k) because they’re fast and “fast for a defenseman” respectively. And Fredrik Claesson (1/900k) because at age 25 he has some room to grow. That’s 8 deals out, so let’s stop there for now.

JULY 12
Cammalleri rejects, Mikkola signs. I’ll give Cam a small bump to 2.2M, and I also notice Phillip DiGuiseppe as someone who might be sorta useful (decent speed, still under 25), so he gets 2 years at 850k.

JULY 13
FINALLY. Bozak signs. As do most of the remaining “little fish” offers. In fact at this point, I’m only waiting on Cammalleri and DiGuiseppe.

Let’s do a quick headcount. I like symmetry and I hate giving playing time to those minor-leaguers that I don’t control, so I like to be fully staffed. So that means 8 or 9 guys at each forward slot, and at least 12-14 defensemen.

CENTER (6): Beagle, Bozak, Grant, Nash, Paquette, Sheahan. Possibly leave a spot for Dellandrea if he looks good in camp? So, still could use one or two more guys just to even things out.
LEFT WING (7+2): de la Rose, Grabner, Hartnell, Kunitz, Leier, Perron, Pirri signed, plus offers on Cammalleri and DiGuiseppe. Theoretically set here.
RIGHT WING (8): Bennett, Gibbons, Hansen, Iginla, Komarov, Lipon, Reaves, Ward. Could also set aside a slot for Svechnikov. I mean, it’s a sucky group, but it’s basically set numbers-wise.
DEFENSEMEN (11): Bartkowski, Claesson, Cole, Emelin, Folin, Green, Hamhuis, J. Johnson, Mikkola, Morrow, Sustr. Could use a couple more bodies just to push the pre-gens off the minor-league roster.
GOALIES (5): Driedger, C. Johnson, Lehner, Merzlikins, Rubin.

Based on that headcount, I send out a few more “spare bodies, sorta prospecty” contracts: C Alan Quine (1/850k), C Joel Mustonen (2/675k), RW Zack Mitchell (2/725k), D Jordan Subban (1/650k), D Duncan Siemens (1/775k).

JULY 16
DiGuiseppe and Cammalleri sign, as does Mustonen from the new batch. Quine, Mitchell, Subban, and Siemens still TBD.

JULY 17
Last four guys sign.

44 guys under contract. Cap hit is around $60M so I’m over the salary floor (58.8M), though just barely. I have a little less than $20M left under the cap. I think that’s good enough to at least go to camp. I keep looking at Devin Setoguchi (he's fast -- but he's basically an older Beau Bennett) and there are still decent defensemen available though I have no idea where I'd play any of them. But if I wanted to maybe move a defenseman for help at forward (right wing), good to know there are still some guys available as replacement parts.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
(Free Agent Signings > $1M)

This will be a bigger feature in future seasons. This year, I think I pulled in 2/3rds of the free agents anyway.

ARI: D Michal Kempny, D Nick Holden
BOS: C Paul Stastny, D Toby Enstrom
COL: C Blake Coleman
CBJ: D Trevor Van Riemsdyk, C Thomas Plekanec
DAL: LW Adam Erne
LA: D Kevin Gravel
MTL; G Kari Lehtonen
NSH: LW Thomas Vanek
NYR: D Calvin de Haan
TB: D Slater Koekkoek
TOR: LW Rick Nash
VGK: LW William Carrier
WSH: C Kyle Brodziak, C Derek Ryan
WPG: C Adam Lowry, D Dennis Siedenberg

I'm kicking myself a little on Erne and Carrier -- it looks like there was room to bump both their offers up and stay under the tender limit, AND their teams wouldn't have matched. That kinda sucks. But it's not like either of those guys was the last piece of a Cup team. (Koekkoek at least went for more than the tender amount, so he would've cost me a pick.)

[PFellah]

PRE-SEASON 2018

POSTCARDS FROM TRAINING CAMP

Quote: Originally Posted by Jack Johnson

It's kind of exciting to be the first of something like this. You get to be the first to put that sweater on, and whatever else happens, it's a little piece of hockey history. That's kind of neat.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jay Beagle

Unless you're Connor McDavid, you're going to have deal with criticism at some point in your career. Heck, Connor probably has people criticizing him too. So it's out there and you're aware of it. "We're a bunch of bottom-six guys"... stuff like that. I think you just have to take it as a challenge, to go out there and show people we can be more than that.

Quote: Originally Posted by Mike Cammalleri

Nobody's job is safe, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Each guy in this room can either spend their time looking over their shoulder, or they can take it as an opportunity to define a role for themselves. The good side is it's there for the taking for whoever steps up.

Quote: Originally Posted by David Perron

I think the thing to remember, that gives you some perspective, is that we've all done this before. We've all been the new guy in some locker room at some point in our careers. If there's a new dynamic, it's that we've never all done it at the same time. So on one level it's a big change, but on another, it's just the nature of the business.

GAME RESULTS

Before we get started with game action, we actually have a trade to report.

Columbus sends D Jacob Graves and picks 2019-4 and 2019-5 to Seattle for RW Joel Ward and Seattle's 2019-6.

They offered it, but I'm happy to accept -- pick up one draft pick, move a second pick up a round for a bubble forward? Sure. More picks are always good. The defenesman Graves is looking like a spare body -- 23 years old, but only scouts as an AHL Top 2 guy.

9/25 at Anaheim -- 2-1 L. David Perron gets the first (pre-season) goal in Seattle history, but Anaheim comes back with goals in the 2nd and 3rd periods to pull out the win.

9/27 vs Edmonton -- 3-2 W. Well, it's only a pre-season game, but the home crowd gets a win in their first in-person glimpse at their new team. Brandon Pirri notches a pair in the winning effort.

9/29 at Los Angeles -- 4-3 L. Seattle's Jannik Hansen opens the scoring four minutes in, but then it's all LA for the rest of the first two periods, as the Kings build a 4-1 lead. The Dragons score two quick goals in the 3rd to cut the lead to one, but can't get the equalizer.

10/1 vs Las Vegas -- 4-3 W (SO). It's the Pirri-and-Perron show in regulation, but then Leo Komarov scores the game-winner in the shootout as the newest expansion team bests their older brother.

10/3 vs Calgary -- 3-2 L. Calgary leaps out to a 3-0 lead and makes it stand up despite goals by Derek Grant and Dan Hamhuis.

10/5 at San Jose -- 3-2 W. Despite only putting 22 shots on net, Seattle scores three times and holds the Sharks to just a pair. Sustr, Sheahan, and Hansen are the goal-scorers for the good guys.

10/7 vs Vancouver -- 3-2 L. Theoretically an 0-4-2 Vancouver team ought to be a recipe for a win in the pre-season finale. The Dragons come oh-so-close to a winning pre-season, but a N Godolbin goal with 9:52 remaining drops Seattle to 3-4. Ah well.

FINAL RECORD: 3-4-0

OPENING DAY ROSTER AND LINES

Before finalizing the roster, the team decides to go ahead and sign Andrei Svechnikov to an entry-level contract and activating him to the roster. He's grading out as 80 OVR, so that would immediately make him a 1st or 2nd line talent on this team.

Also, we made a quick trade, just to try and get a few more prospects.

Seattle trades D Ian Cole to Anaheim for RW Kasperi Kapanen and StL's 2019-4 draft pick.

Kapanen gives me another young player with potential and another draft pick can't hurt. There's also some secondary method to the madness as I'd like to have Joe Morrow playing every day, and moving Cole clears a slot for him.

The other thing I wanted to do is take on a decent-sized expiring contract, just to get off the salary floor (I'm actually about a million below at the moment). So after playing around with different permutations (Jori Lehtera of Philly, Jason Spezza of Dallas, and Tyler Ennis of Minnesota were all considered), I settle on the following:

Seattle trades D Jacob Graves to Buffalo for LW Matt Moulson.

Moulson's got a base salary of $5M, but just one year left on his contract, so it's not going to cost me any long-term pain, and gives me cap room to be a seller at the deadline if I'm not competitive in year one. Graves was a throw-in in the Ward-for-draft-picks deal I made earlier, so I'm not particularly invested in him.

LINES AND DEFENSE PAIRS

FORWARD LINES
57 David Perron - 43 Tyler Bozak - 16 Andrei Svechnikov
41 Michael Grabner - 20 Riley Nash - 24 Kasperi Kapanen
14 Chris Kunitz - 15 Riley Sheahan - 47 Leo Komarov
17 Scott Hartnell - 83 Jay Beagle - 13 Mike Cammalleri

DEFENSE PAIRS
62 Andrej Sustr - 25 Mike Green
7 Jack Johnson - 26 Alexei Emelin
2 Dan Hamhuis - 70 Joe Morrow

GOALTENDERS
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson

SCRATCHES
44 Matt Bartkowski
39 Brian Gibbons
36 Jannik Hansen

CAPTAINS
David Perron goes in the books as the first captain for the Dragons. Mike Green and Chris Kunitz will be sporting the A's.

ONE LAST LOOK
Things are pretty much set up the way I want them.The one thing that concerns me is I don't have too many guys who can pass through waivers on the way to and from the minors, so I might be a little handcuffed as to who I can bring up if there's a long-term injury. But we'll figure that out when it arises. Of the forwards, Taylor Leier and Joel Mustonen have travel privleges; for the defensemen, Jordan Subban and Niko Mikkola can come and go as they please.

I also feel like I grabbed a little too much veteran leadership, so at some point I'll be divesting -- Reaves, Iginla, Hartnell, and a few others are all candidates to leave -- but not in a hurry yet. There's a second level where it becomes a complete fire sale and I'd add guys like Kunitz and Cammalleri, but that's REALLY down the road.

[PFellah]

October 2018: Dragons Take Flight


Riley Nash finds the net for the first goal in Seattle Dragons' history. The first win would have to wait a few more days.

10/13 at Pittsburgh (0-0-0) – 5-3 L.
The Seattle Dragons put their first game in the books. The optimist’s take is they hung with one of the league’s elite teams for two-and-a-half periods. The pessimist’s take is that the Pens clearly had the better of the action (43-23 shots advantage) even when the game was close, and two late goals just cemented the Pens’ claim as the better team. Let the record reflect that Riley Nash scored the first goal in Seattle history (one of two on the day for him) at the 14:34 mark of the 1st period, and #1 draft pick Andrei Svechnikov scored what will hopefully be the first of many to tie the game at 3 in the 3rd period.
GOALS: SEA – Nash 1, Nash 2, Svechnikov 1. PIT – Brassard 1, Crosby 1, Hornqvist 1, Hornqvist 2, Sheary 1.

Quote: Originally Posted by Mike Green

On one hand, it's a pretty good start to go up against one of the league's elite teams in their own building and hang with them most of the game. On the other hand, we gotta play cleaner, tighter hockey on both ends of the ice.

10/14 at Nashville (0-1-0) – 3-1 L.
David Perron and Roman Josi trade goals in the first period, but then Nashville breaks things open in the 2nd. Victor Arvidsson and Kyle Turris put pucks past Chad Johnson for the final margin of victory.
GOALS – SEA – Perron 1. NSH – Josi 1, Arvidsson 1, Turris 2.

10/16 at Florida (0-2-0) – 2-1 W.
Seattle finally breaks through for their first win on their third try. Riley Sheahan gets things going, but Aleksander Barkov wipes the lead away in the 2nd. But early in the 3rd, Riley Nash scores his third of the year and the Dragons make it stand up the rest of the way.
GOALS: SEA – Sheahan 1, Nash 3. FLA – Barkov 1.

10/18 vs Chicago (2-1-0) – 3-0 L.
The home fans are out in force for the first home game in Dragons’ history, but the team respond with a pretty lackluster performance – only 15 shots on goal, and zero goals. (I do recall a fair number of blocks and deflections, though I forgot to get an actual number.) Robin Lehner keeps things even through the first period, but Chicago breaks out with a pair of goals in the 2nd and another in the third. The sole bright spot for the home team was killing off a 5-on-3 penalty. Other than that, let’s just move on.
GOALS: SEA – NONE. CHI – Saad 3, Duclair 1, Anisimov 1.

TRADE: Buffalo trades a 4th round pick in 2019 (from SJ) and a 7th round pick for RW Ryan Reaves.

Between games Buffalo offers San Jose’s 4th and their own 7th for Ryan Reaves. I don’t plan to use him, early returns are not promising on this season, and that seems like fair value, so what the heck. Let’s do it. I think that’s my 4th 4th-rounder now.

10/21 at Dallas (2-1-1) – 5-2 L.
Grabner and Green keep things close early, but Dallas pulls away with a pair of uncontested 3rd-period scores. The Seattle defense allows 40 shots on goal for the day.
GOALS: SEA – Grabner 1, Green 1. DAL – Elie 2, Spezza 1, Ritchie 2, Erne 2, Heatherington 1.

10/23 vs Anaheim (4-1-0) – 2-1 W.
The fans finally get to see their first win on home ice, and against a divisional opponent to boot. Jay Beagle and Ondrej Kase trade first-period tallies, but it’s Michael Grabner scoring the game winner late in the 2nd.
GOALS: SEA – Beagle 1, Grabner 2. ANA – Kase 3.

Quote: Originally Posted by Scott Hartnell

Hopefully this can be a little boost of confidence for us. We got off to a little bit of a rough start, but getting a "W" in the division is a good way to start heading in the right direction. So let's see if we can take this and build on it.

10/25 vs New York Rangers (1-5-0) – 5-4 W (SO).
Early on, it’s exciting times, as the Dragons jump out to 3-0 and 4-2 leads over the Rangers. But then in the third, they almost blow it, as the Rangers score a pair to tie. Overtime passes uneventfully, but then Andrei Svechnikov wins it for the Dragons in the shootout.
GOALS: SEA – Bozak 1, Hansen 1, Cammalleri 1, Kunitz 1, Svechnikov SOW. NYR – Namestnikov 1, Holland 1, Vesey 1, Carey 1.

10/26 at Ottawa (2-4-1) – 7-5 W.
Where were all these goals earlier? A back and forth game turns for good around the midpoint of the 2nd period, as the Dragons score 3 goals in less than three minutes to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 lead. Ottawa cuts it to 6-5 on a goal by Ryan Dzingel, but Michael Grabner adds a late insurance goal to seal the deal.
GOALS: SEA – Hamhuis 1, Bozak 2, Hansen 2, Hamhuis 2, Sheahan 2, Grabner 3, Grabner 4. OTT – Chabot 1, Dzingel 2, Karlsson 5, Stone 1, Dzingel 3.

10/29 vs Arizona (2-6-0) – 1-0 W.
Seattle puts 41 shots on Antti Raanta but Scott Hartnell’s goal 15 seconds into the 2nd is the only one that finds the net. Meanwhile, Robin Lehner only has to turn aside 22 picks to notch the first shutout in franchise history.
GOALS: SEA – Hartnell 1. ARI – NONE

Quote: Originally Posted by Robin Lehner

It's nice to be a little part of history, but the two points are what matter to us most. It was a tough defensive game on both ends, and a shutout is just what it took to win tonight. I'm just glad I could deliver.

MONTHLY SUMMARY

STANDINGS REPORT

• MONTH: 5-4-0. After a rough start, finished above .500. If there’s a red flag it’s that we whooped on struggling teams and lost to good teams, which doesn’t seem sustainable.
• YEAR-TO-DATE: 5-4-0, 10 points
• DIVISION: 6th in division with 10 points. Looking up in the standings at ANA 16, LA 13, EDM 13, VAN 11, CGY 11.
• CONFERENCE: 11th in the conference. Top 8 Today: ANA 16, WPG 16, DAL 15, MIN 14, LA 13, CHI 13, EDM 13, STL 12.
  

TEAM LEADERS

• POINTS: Perron 6, Grabner 5, Cammalleri 5, Green 5, Nash 4, Bozak 4, Svechnikov 4
• GOALS: Grabner 4, Nash 3, Hamhuis 2, Sheahan 2, Hansen 2, Bozak 2
• ASSISTS: Perron 5, Green 4, Cammalleri 4, Johnson 3, Komarov 3, Svechnikov 3
• PLUS-MINUS: Hamhuis 2, Cammalleri 2, Morrow 1, Hansen 0, Beagle 0

ON THE FARM
Not a lot to report here. They did get out to a 6-0 start before sliding backwards a little bit. Not going to get too far into dissecting the stats so far; let's see how develop for now.

[PFellah]

October 2018: Around The League


STANDINGS


Not much to report yet... let it percolate.

LEAGUE LEADERS


Scoring is fairly low, and a lot of the usual suspects are absent. But it's early yet.

CALDER WATCH


Again, when your rookie scoring leader is at 5 points, not really much useful data to be gleaned, but there's the first pass. On the goalie side, Linus Ullmark is the only major candidate, and he's getting lit up.