The 2021 National Hockey League expansion draft has been a long time coming, and is finally upon us. By 8pm eastern time on July 21st, the NHL’s thirty-second team will be picked and submitted.

Each existing team was required to provide the newest member of the NHL, the Seattle Kraken, with a list of exposed players that the Kraken’s management team can pick from. The only team exempt from this drawing was the Vegas Golden Knights, as they had an expansion of their own in the 2017-2018 season and are still too new to let go of one of their players. On Sunday, the lists became available and they were able to begin picking their future team.

This new team was named and officially became the newest team in early December of 2018 and the expansion cost them $650 million USD. They will have their debut in the 2021-2022 season beginning at the end of this year. 

Personally, I am very excited that we will be getting a new NHL team, but nervous to see who they will take. My home team, the Washington Capitals, recently released their list of exposed players, and I can’t help but wonder who they’re going to take. 

They are allowed to select 30 players total: 14 forwards, 9 defensemen, and 3 goalies. There are many top players from multiple teams who are currently unprotected, which can be scary for fans. 

I’m sure that the Kraken are going to have a good first season and I wish them the best of luck in their opening season.