NHL Expansion Draft: LA Kings Expansion Protection Strategy

In the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, who do the LA Kings protect? They have a collection of signed players and restricted free agents. And like other teams, they must protect their very the best.

The LA Kings are a team that's won Cups but has also missed the playoffs. They fired their head coach this last season, as well as their GM Dean Lombardi. That means that new GM Rob Blake will be tasked with completing the NHL expansion draft. It'll be one of his first tests as an NHL GM.

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The Kings have enough contracts that they can keep all of them and still meet the requirements. But they also have some important restricted free agents to consider. Where should their protection spots go?

Los Angeles Kings left wing Tanner Pearson (70) controls the puck (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)

Los Angeles Forwards

Available Forwards: Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter, Marian Gaborik, Tanner Pearson, Trevor Lewis, Kyle Clifford, Jordan Nolan, Nic Dowd, Andrew Crescenzi, Andy Andreoff, Nick Shore, Tyler Toffoli.

No Move Clause: Anze Kopitar

Kopitar is the Kings captain and has helped lead the team to two Cups. While he had a down season last year, he's still a dynamite player and remains the Kings highest paid player for a reason. He won the Selke (and Byng) last year and continues to be a great two-way center.

Guaranteed: Jeff Carter, Tanner Pearson, Tyler Toffoli

Jeff Carter is another first-line quality center. He scored the most points out of any LA King over the last season and had the Kings made the playoffs would have been a dark horse Hart contender. Carter scored 32 goals in the last season, his most since 2011.

Los Angeles Kings left wing Tanner Pearson (70) controls the puck (Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)

Tanner Pearson is just 24 years old and doesn't become an unrestricted free agent until 2021. He posted 44 points last season, in the most games, he's played in the NHL to this point. I mean, that's kind of it. He's young and productive. That's really all you need.

Tyler Toffoli is a lot like Pearson. He had injuries throughout last season, missing 19 games, but he posted 34 points in the 63 games he did play. He's also just 25 and a restricted free agent. He will likely get paid – he had a 58 point season last season – but it will be by the LA Kings.

Highly Likely: Nic Dowd, Nick Shore

In his first true season with the LA Kings (he only had 5 games previously), Nic Dowd posted 22 points in 70 games. He's 27, so he has the potential to get better, but he posted more points 11 other players for the LA Kings this season on a 640K contract. He's cheap to keep around and those 22 points, or more, should be useful.

Nick Shore is younger, just 24 now. He tallied 17 points in 70 games, his longest NHL season to date. It's also his most productive season, so Shore is firmly improving over time. That's good news for LA, who needs to get something from their young players. Shore can add that to the LA Kings and they need to keep that around.

Maybe: Trevor Lewis

Los Angeles Kings center Trevor Lewis (22) and Chicago Blackhawks center Tanner Kero (67) chase down the puck (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

Lewis scored the ninth most points on the LA Kings this season, at 24, including 12 goals. The thing is, he's 30 and this was his second-most productive season ever. That's not great because that means this season is more likely to have been a fluke. But Lewis has a good history of playoff production, including 7 collective goals in the two Kings Cup runs.

The Kings may also protect Jordan Nolan or Kyle Clifford.

Will Be Exposed: Marian Gaborik, Dustin Brown

Both of these guys are on rough contracts for the Kings. Gaborik is making 4.875 million and Brown one million more. That's not good for a team that didn't make the playoffs. Especially when Brown only contributed 36 points and Gaborik 21. I don't know if Gaborik and Brown will be selected by Vegas in the NHL Expansion Draft. But it's worth the chance for the Kings.

Kings Defensemen

Available Defenseman: Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez, Jake Muzzin, Brayden McNabb, Derek Forbort.

Guaranteed: Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) takes the puck down ice (Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)

Doughty is the number one defenseman for the LA Kings and has been for years. He won the Norris after being a finalist twice. Doughty is a beast of a defenseman, one who's helped the Kings win Cups. That fact's become especially clear with Peter Budaj's year. The Kings' greatness at the blue line isn't so much Jonathan Quick as it is their defensive system and players.

Jake Muzzin is also safe from the NHL expansion draft because he's the Kings number two defenseman. He's a lockdown guy, one who takes care of the defensive zone while playing with more offensive guys like Doughty and Alec Martinez. Muzzin is able to play with anybody and continue to put up good numbers – he had 28 points and a 55.5 Corsi% last season.

Probably: Derek Forbort

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Derek Forbort (24) during the second period (Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports)

Derek Forbort is a young defenseman, which the Kings are going to need. He's on a cheap contract and isn't an RFA until next year. That means he's under team control for a while longer. He was playing with Drew Doughty throughout much of this year and posted 18 points in his rookie season (he had played 14 games in the season prior, but the NHL only counts 18). He should be safe from the NHL expansion draft or could be selected.

The Kings may also protect Alec Martinez because he's one of their most clutch playoff performers and a great offensive defenseman.

Goaltender and Exempt List

Goaltenders Available: Jonathan Quick, Jeff Zatkoff, Jack Campbell.

Guaranteed: Jonathan Quick

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick (32) defends the goal (Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)

Jonathan Quick has been the primary goaltender for the Kings, and while he was hurt this season and LA brought in Ben Bishop, he remains so. Quick has won two Cups for the Kings. He's their goaltender, for now, for always. Even with the defense proving to be a tremendous factor, Quick's name and the number might be in the rafters some day in LA.

Exempt List:

Adrian Kempe, Kevin Gravel, Paul LaDue

Vegas's Should-Be Selection

Exposed Players: Dustin Brown, Marian Gaborik, Kyle Clifford, Jordan Nolan, Andy Andreoff, Alec Martinez, Brayden McNabb, Jeff Zatkoff, Jack Campbell

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Alec Martinez (27) and Calgary Flames center Sean Monahan (23) battle for the puck (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

I know he's near 30 and that his best days are likely behind him, but the Vegas Golden Knights might not have a better chance at a great defenseman than in Alec Martinez. He's good offensively and he's good defensively. The Knights need to think about what they can get first-pairing wise in the NHL expansion draft. And that may be Martinez. Plus, he's signed long term and will be able to support the team's defense while it develops.