NHL Expansion Draft

The NHL Expansion Draft is an official event where a new team, like a franchise, selects players from existing teams to build their roster. Existing NHL teams can protect their key players, leaving the rest exposed for selection. The new team then chooses players from this pool, balancing talent acquisition with league rules. This process allows the expansion team to assemble a competitive roster while giving established teams a fair chance to protect their most valuable players. The draft typically includes specific guidelines to ensure a fair distribution of talent and maintain league parity.