So on our updated list, Sundqvist replaces Schwartz. Despite injury issues the past couple of seasons, Sundqvist is a valuable “glue” player who is strong defensively, a top penalty killers, and will get you a dozen or so goals.
Tarasenko stays on the protected list because you want to get something for him via trade.
Such a scenario leaves forwards Ivan Barbashev, Sammy Blais, Kyle Clifford and Mackenzie MacEachern unprotected, as well as restricted free agent Zach Sanford and unrestricted free agents Schwartz, Tyler Bozak and Mike Hoffman.
Again, it makes no sense for Seattle to select an unrestricted free agent if they can’t sign him during the July 18-20 window. Restricted free agents are another matter.
As CapFriendly.com points out, RFAs could be of high interest to the Kraken: Once Seattle selects a restricted free agent, they have negotiating rights with that player. If the player were to sign an offer sheet (later) with another team, Seattle could simply match the offer.
And if Seattle signs a restricted during the July 18-20 negotiating window, there are no matching rights given to the original team under the expansion draft rules. Which could make someone like Vince Dunn too good to pass up for the Kraken.
On defense, Faulk has replaced Dunn on our protected list. Last November, Faulk was coming off a debut Blues season that was so-so at best. Dunn, meanwhile, was coming off a season in which he was a team-high plus-15, and probably would have hit 10 goals for the second straight season – he had nine – if the coronavirus pandemic had not ended the regular season 11 games early.
