The Anaheim Ducks Expansion Mock Draft: WWMD, What Would Murray Do?
By Greg Johnson
The Vegas Golden Knights were a first-year success on the ice. Off of it, their expansion fees benefitted every team. What would happen to the Anaheim Ducks if the NHL expands again this summer?
In the last expansion draft, Vegas took their pound of flesh from the Anaheim Ducks. Shea Theodore was a much greater talent (thanks Clayton Stoner, and no thanks to Kevin Bieksa) than previous teams could ever find in expansion drafts. Let’s take a look at what the Ducks would face if the NHL expanded again this summer.
All About the Benjamins
When Vegas owner Bill Foley forked over a half billion dollars to buy entrance into the NHL, he expected more talent than other expansion teams ever had in the past. NHL owners were happy to oblige, primarily because each team got almost $17M. Even better, that money wasn’t subject to revenue sharing under terms of the collective bargaining agreement. Team owners pocketed that money.
As you would imagine, NHL owners would like to pocket even more money. Luckily, the ownership group hoping to bring an NHL team to Seattle has already conducted a season ticket drive. They had a goal to sell 10,000 seats. That was done in 12 minutes. Within an hour, fans had deposited between $500 and $1,000 for 25,000 seats.
Anyone who has been paying attention knows that means a team will be in Seattle within the next few years. To no one’s surprise, each team will get even more un-revenue shared cash this time around. The owners will split $650 million this time which translates to $21 million for each team.
At the general manager meetings in March, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly informed teams the rules governing the next expansion draft will be the same ones used for Vegas’ draft last off-season. Two-thirds of a billion dollars should buy a few decent players, eh?