Expansion Rules - 1999

BUFFALO (June 15, 1999) - The National Hockey League released today the rules pertaining to the 1999 Expansion Draft, scheduled for Friday, June 25 at 3:00 p.m. ET in Boston.

The Expansion Draft will provide the Atlanta Thrashers with 26 players, one from each existing NHL club except Nashville, which played its inaugural NHL season in 1998-99. The following day, on June 26, Atlanta will make its first- ever selections in the 1999 Entry Draft at Boston’s FleetCenter.

Expansion Draft Procedures – Timeline Trading Freeze Period In Effect

A trade freeze will be in effect prior to the Expansion Draft, depending on the duration of the Stanley Cup Final series:

Clubs To Submit Protected Lists To NHL

Each existing NHL club (except Nashville) will submit a protected list to the NHL in which it may protect either (i) up to five defensemen, nine forwards and one goaltender, or (ii) up to three defensemen, seven forwards and two goaltenders.

If the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals is on June 19 (Game 6), each club must submit its protected list to the League by Monday, June 21 at 12 noon ET. The 26 clubs’ protected lists would be released by the NHL’s Public Relations Department on Tuesday, June 22, after all clubs’ protected lists have been approved by the League.

If the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals is on June 22 (Game 7),each club must submit its protected list to the League by Wednesday, June 23 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The 26 clubs’ protected lists would be released by the NHL’s Public Relations Department on Thursday, June 24, after all clubs’ protected lists have been approved by the League.

Experience Requirements

Each club must expose for claim at least the following players who meet the experience requirements indicated below:

Exempt Players

Exempt from the Expansion Draft are (i) all first and second-year pros and (ii) unsigned draft choices (except unsigned draft choices drafted from European clubs in the 1995 Entry Draft or before and who remain unsigned).

Expansion Draft – Friday, June 25 Number of Goaltenders, Defensemen and Forwards To Be Selected By Atlanta

The number of players in each category to be selected by Atlanta will be at least three goaltenders, eight defensemen and 13 forwards. Only six may be free agents, restricted or unrestricted, of which there may be no more than one goaltender, three defensemen or three forwards.

Number of Players Selected From Each Club

Each of the clubs (except Nashville) will lose one player. Clubs that lost a goaltender in the 1998 Expansion Draft (Anaheim, Los Angeles, Montreal, New Jersey and NY Rangers) cannot lose a goaltender in the 1999 Expansion Draft.

Players Eligible For Claim By Atlanta

Eligible for claim by Atlanta will be all players, other than exempt and protected players, who are shown on clubs’ lists to be:

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