Great Question JD.
Pending FAs would not be part of the draft.
Vegas will get a chance at the pending FAs like everyone else.
So I envision it going like this...
* Transaction freeze, no more extensions
* Any player with expiring contract is exempt from Expansion Draft
* Expansion Draft takes place
* Then contracts roll over
* Rosters get prep'd for FA period + 2017-18 season
* Then FA starts
Thats the plan.
Players with less than 2 yrs are exempt.
Teams can protect up to 10 skaters and a Goalie
And * Any player with expiring contract is exempt from Expansion Draft
has Brendan Gallager on an expiring deal, yet we can sign him in the offseason. What's stopping us from leaving him unprotected and exempt and then resigning him after the draft? Or does the resigning period happen before the draft takes place?
Pickings may be slimmer than originally thought. May take some time for Vegas to become competitive. We will see.