Jordan Harris could be the 33rd-team pick in the event of an expansion draft

Even though the Golden Knights and the Kraken just joined the NHL not so long ago, it feels like the league is in expansion mode.

The Bettman circuit and the commissioner are going all out to add teams. We know that, for the moment, this isn’t necessarily in the plans, but eventually, a few teams will be added to the 32 already present.

With an eye on the next expansion, Sportsnet mentioned the players who could be selected by the 33rd team if an expansion takes place at the end of the 2024-2025 season. And in reporter Ryan Dixon’s hypothetical situation, Jordan Harris is the player sacrificed by the Habs and selected by the new franchise.

While any potential NHL expansion is still years away, @Dixononsports decides to put teams on the spot and see who they might make available if there was an expansion draft at the end of this coming season. https://t.co/CNW3ps3WZE

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 26, 2024

Obviously, unless there are huge changes to the defensive brigade after next season, there are likely to be plenty of defensemen left on the Habs’ roster.

In Harris’ case, he could be of interest to several teams. He’s a good young defenseman who’s responsible, but unfortunately, Montreal’s defensive brigade is already well-stocked:

Matheson-Savard

Guhle-Mailloux

Hutson-Struble

Extra : Xhekaj and Barron

Guys like David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom will be added to the group soon, too.

In 2021, just before the Kraken expansion draft, here are the players who were protected by Marc Bergevin and his group:

Josh Anderson
Joel Armia
Jake Evans
Brendan Gallagher
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Arturri Lehkonen
Tyler Toffoli
Ben Chiarot
Joel Edmundson
Jeff Petry
Jake Allen

Only the first four forwards listed are still with the team.

Let’s just say that this protection list hasn’t aged very well…

Note that in the event of an expansion draft in the near future, the Habs will be obliged to protect Brendan Gallagher (non-movement clause). Guys like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Joshua Roy, Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook aren’t likely to be left out in the cold by the organization either. Ivan Demidov and the young prospects with little or no pro experience yet, i.e. less than three years, would not need to be protected.

In the Sportsnet text (which I’m reposting HERE), some good players could be available (for Team Quebec?). I’m talking about Nikolaj Ehlers (Jets), William Karlsson (Knights), Kaapo Kakko (Rangers), Patrik Laine (Jackets), Jonathan Drouin (Avalanche), Mason Lohrei (Bruins) and Devon Levi (Sabres), among others.