Updated: Penguins Lose Tanev; Kraken Go Young & Cheap

The picks are official, but nearly all Seattle Kraken expansion draft picks were leaked via Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. Former TSN reporter turned Daily Faceoff lead Frank Seravalli did most of the damage to the Wednesday night ESPN broadcast. The usual suspects from TSN and Sportsnet did some heavy lifting, too, and the Pittsburgh Penguins lost winger Brandon Tanev.

The expansion draft essentially cost the Penguins Tanev and Jared McCann, whom they traded on Saturday to avoid losing him for nothing.

Seattle had its choice of Tanev, Marcus Pettersson, Jason Zucker, and Zach Aston-Reese. As you see below, Seattle GM Ron Francis shied away from higher-priced veterans and steered towards unknowns and players who needed a break. Morgan Geekie, Gavin Bayreuther, and Carsen Twarnyski from the Metro Division should provide enough evidence of that.

Tanev’s departure frees up $3.5 million of salary-cap space. This week, the Penguins cleared nearly $6.5 million by trading McCann to Toronto–who was then selected by Seattle. Thus Toronto protected Alex Kerfoot and their roster by trading prospect Filip Hallander and a seventh-rounder.

The Penguins also have two new holes in their lineup, including a middle-six LW, replacing Tanev on their defensive line with Zach Aston-Reese and Teddy Blueger.

Did GM Ron Hextall outthink himself?

In a preview of the coming Pittsburgh Penguins analysis, the Penguins grind line fared slightly better with Teddy Blueger and Zach Aston-Reese than Tanev and Blueger. The baseline stats show similar Corsi (about 45% each), but the Aston-Reese pairing had a 45% goals-for rate compared to 28% and a 48-43 advantage with expected goals-for.

The Seattle Kraken total payroll of just under $53 million, leaving Seattle about $28 million for the free agent and NHL trade markets.

Seattle made several side deals, though we’re not sure how many. In an inexplicable decision, the NHL chose not to announce the side-deals during the expansion draft broadcast. They will be revealed today at 1 p.m. EST unless Seravalli and crew leak them first.

Metro Division:

1. PIT: Brandon Tanev (F)
2. WSH: Vitek Vanecek (G)
3. NYR: Collin Blackwell (F)
4. NYI Jordan Eberle (F)
5. PHI: Carsen Twarynski (F)
6. NJD: Nathan Bastian (F)
7. CBJ: Gavin Bayreuther (D)
8. CAR: Morgan Geekie (F)

Atlantic Division

1. OTT: Joey Daccord (G)
2. TOR: Jared McCann (F)
3. TBL: Yanni Gourde (F)
4. BUF: William Borgen (D)
5. MTL: Cale Fleury (D)
6. BOS: Jeremy Lauzon (D)
7. FLA: Chris Driedger (G)
8. DET: Dennis Cholowski (D)

Central Division

1. COL: Joonas Donskoi (F)
2. WPG: Mason Appleton (F)
3. MIN: Carson Soucy (D)
4. NSH: Calle Järnkrok (F)
5. STL: Vince Dunn (D)
6. DAL: Jamie Oleksiak (D. Signed five-year contract with $4.6 million AAV)
7. AZ: Tyler Pitlick (F)
8. CHI: John Quenneville (F)

Pacific Division

1. LAK: Kurtis MacDermid (D)
2. VAN: Kole Lind (F)
3. CGY: Mark Giordano (D)
4. ANA: Haydn Fleury (D)
5. SJS: Alexander True (F)
6. EDM: Adam Larsson (D. Signed four-year deal with $4 million AAV)
7. VGK: Exempt