Schooners prepare for Expansion Draft
HALIFAX, N.S. - With the NHL's newest franchise just days away from selecting its first 30 players, Schooners general manager Nolan Reid is prepared and ready for the big day.
The Halifax Schooners will select one "unprotected" player from each of the 30 NHL teams before drafting rookies in the NHL Entry Draft a few days later.
Reid said he already has a few players in mind to select in the expansion draft.
"There's a few guys that are available that I think can make an immediate impact on this team. There is a strong selection of defencemen which we will be focusing on selecting. My structure is to build from the back-end and then out."
The Schooners will select from the Anaheim Ducks first, and Reid has already confirmed he will select defenceman Josh Manson. After that, the Schooners will choose from the Arizona Coyotes, and Reid has also confirmed the team will pick Jason Demers.
"We have been in contact with both teams and they know of our plans to take those players. Manson and Demers should start the mold of what we think should be a pretty solid D-core."
Manson, who will turn 27 after the season begins, had seven goals and 37 points in 80 games with the Ducks last season.
Demers, 30, had six goals and 20 points in 69 games with the Coyotes last season.
Last season, the NHL saw the Vegas Golden Knights head right to the Stanley Cup Finals during its inaugural season, something nobody expected.
As for Reid, his plans for the Schooner are very much the same.
“I want to compete for a cup right away,” said Reid. “If Vegas was able to do it, why can’t we? My plan is to be a little greedy with this team and be in the ‘now’ and use the first few seasons to go for it. It’s a risk, but everyone is onboard."