The NHL’s 2021 offseason was always going to be jam packed. The Stanley Cup Final being pushed back into July, with the entry draft and free agency that month, made sure of that.
But another event on the horizon makes this upcoming month an even busier one for NHL teams. With the Seattle Kraken set to join the league as the NHL’s 32nd franchise next year, each team must prepare to lose a player to Ron Francis and his staff in the July 21 expansion draft. Each team also has until July 17 to submit its protected list of players.