Expansion Draft: Washington Capitals Could Be Losing Goaltender to Seattle

The Seattle Kraken have July 17 marked on their calendars.as the deadline looms for every team in the NHL to submit their protected list for the expansion draft. From there the fun begins and the Kraken will announce their roster on July 21. Today we take a peek at the Washington Capitals to see who's likely being exposed to the Kraken. 

For educational purposes:

• Teams must submit their protected lists to the league by July 17
• Each team must submit a protected list of seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie OR eight skaters and one goalie
• Any player with a no-movement clause must be protected unless the player waives it
• Each team must expose two forwards, one defenseman, and one goalie who are under contract and played at least 40 games this past season or 70 combined games over the last two seasons
• Any player with a career-ending injury is exempt from selection
• All first- and second-year players, as well as unsigned draft picks, are exempt from selection

Capitals Players to Watch:

Vitek Vanecek: The former second-round pick is signed for next season at a steal of a price - $716,667, so you can bet the Kraken have noticed this. The 25-year-old ended up playing more than expected last season, appearing in 37 games, posting a 2.69 GAA and a .909 save %. His first ever Stanley Cup Playoff performance did not go as planned, but the Kraken may look past the mystery injury and give Vanecek a place to call home. It certainly feels like at this point, all signs are pointing to the Kraken making this pick.

Trevor van Riemsdyk: The soon-to-be 30-year-old is on a great contract at $950,000 for this upcoming season and next so it's certainly someone the Kraken don't mind paying as a depth option on D. Last season TVR was in and out of the lineup, only appearing in 20 games, recording three points. His best season came in 2016-17 with the Chicago Blackhawks when he tallied 16 points in 58 games. With the right opportunity and defensive partner, TVR can be a solid addition to any lineup. Mobile right-handed defenseman are hard to come by.

Photo credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports