1998 NHL Expansion Draft
Encyclopedia
The 1998 NHL Expansion Draft was held in on June 26, 1998. The draft took place to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 1998–99 season, the Nashville Predators
.
First- and second-year pros were exempt from being selected in the draft. Each of the 26 franchises in the league were allowed to protect either one goaltender, five defensemen and nine forwards or two goaltenders, three defensemen and seven forwards.
Of the unprotected players, each franchise had to include at least one forward and one defenseman who appeared in 40 games in the 1997–98 season. Each franchise also had to include at least one goaltender who appeared in 10 games in the 1997–98 season, and a minimum of 25 games since the 1995–96 season. These minimums for goaltenders were put into place in order to avoid manipulation of rosters, such as what occurred before the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft, which weakened the talent pool available in the draft.
This draft was interesting in that some of the players the Predators chose (e.g. Mike Richter
and Uwe Krupp
) were set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, just days after the draft. The Predators knew they would have little chance to sign these players; however, they received a compensatory pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
for each player they "lost".
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Rules
The Predators were to select 26 players, one from each of the 26 existing franchises at the time of the draft.First- and second-year pros were exempt from being selected in the draft. Each of the 26 franchises in the league were allowed to protect either one goaltender, five defensemen and nine forwards or two goaltenders, three defensemen and seven forwards.
Of the unprotected players, each franchise had to include at least one forward and one defenseman who appeared in 40 games in the 1997–98 season. Each franchise also had to include at least one goaltender who appeared in 10 games in the 1997–98 season, and a minimum of 25 games since the 1995–96 season. These minimums for goaltenders were put into place in order to avoid manipulation of rosters, such as what occurred before the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft, which weakened the talent pool available in the draft.
This draft was interesting in that some of the players the Predators chose (e.g. Mike Richter
Mike Richter
Michael Thomas Richter is a former ice hockey goaltender. One of the most successful American-born goaltenders in history, he is best known for having led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994 and for repeatedly representing the United States in international play. Due to his...
and Uwe Krupp
Uwe Krupp
Uwe G. Krupp is a retired German professional hockey defenceman and current coach of the German national ice hockey team. Following Walt Tkaczuk, Krupp was only the second German-born player to have a lasting career in the National Hockey League...
) were set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, just days after the draft. The Predators knew they would have little chance to sign these players; however, they received a compensatory pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
for each player they "lost".
Draft results
These results are numbered 1–26 for aesthetic purposes, but the players were not necessarily chosen in this order. As the Predators were the only team participating in the draft, the order is inconsequential.| # | Player | Drafted from |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Frederic Chabot Frederic Chabot Frédéric Chabot is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played parts of five seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings.-Playing career:... (G Goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring... ) |
Los Angeles Kings Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 2. | Mike Dunham Mike Dunham Michael Dunham is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently the goaltending coach for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:... (G) |
New Jersey Devils New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 3. | Mike Richter Mike Richter Michael Thomas Richter is a former ice hockey goaltender. One of the most successful American-born goaltenders in history, he is best known for having led the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup title in 1994 and for repeatedly representing the United States in international play. Due to his... (G) |
New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
| 4. | Mikhail Shtalenkov Mikhail Shtalenkov Mikhail Alekseyevich Shtalenkov is a former amateur and professional ice hockey goaltender. He played extensively in his native USSR and Russia for HC Dynamo Moscow and in North America, seeing time with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Florida Panthers. He was... (G) |
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| 5. | Tomas Vokoun Tomas Vokoun Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:... (G) |
Montreal Canadiens Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ... |
| 6. | Joel Bouchard Joel Bouchard Joël Bouchard nicknamed "Mortimer" is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League. He is currently the president and general manager of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.-Playing career:Bouchard last played for the... (D Defenceman (ice hockey) Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring... ) |
Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
| 7. | Bob Boughner Bob Boughner Robert Boughner , nicknamed The Boogieman, is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman and was an assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the 2010/11 season... (D) |
Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
| 8. | J. J. Daigneault (D) | New York Islanders New York Islanders The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 9. | Al Iafrate Al Iafrate Albert Anthony Iafrate is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played in the National Hockey League between 1984 and 1998. He is perhaps most famous for his rocket slap shot that set the NHL Skills Competition record, which stood for 16 years, at . The record was broken in... (D) |
San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 10. | Uwe Krupp Uwe Krupp Uwe G. Krupp is a retired German professional hockey defenceman and current coach of the German national ice hockey team. Following Walt Tkaczuk, Krupp was only the second German-born player to have a lasting career in the National Hockey League... (D) |
Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... |
| 11. | John Slaney John Slaney John G. Slaney is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and assistant coach currently playing for HC Plzeň 1929 in the Czech Extraliga... (D) |
Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... |
| 12. | Rob Zettler Rob Zettler Rob Zettler is a former Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons with the Minnesota North Stars, San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals... (D) |
Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 13. | Chris Armstrong (D) | Florida Panthers Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... |
| 14. | Blair Atcheynum Blair Atcheynum Blair Atcheynum is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. Atcheynum is of Cree First Nation descent.-Playing career:... (RW Winger (ice hockey) Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink... ) |
St. Louis Blues |
| 15. | Paul Brousseau Paul Brousseau Paul Brousseau is a retired professional ice hockey forward. He played for the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers in the NHL.-Playing career:... (F Forward (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in... ) |
Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
| 16. | Doug Brown Doug Brown (ice hockey) Douglas Brown is a former American ice hockey right winger. After playing four seasons with Boston College, Brown was signed as an undrafted free agent by the New Jersey Devils on August 6, 1986.... (RW) |
Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
| 17. | Andrew Brunette Andrew Brunette Andrew Brunette is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Brunette grew up in the small community of Valley East, Ontario just outside of Sudbury... (LW Winger (ice hockey) Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink... ) |
Washington Capitals Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup... |
| 18. | Patrick Cote (LW) | Dallas Stars Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The... |
| 19. | Jeff Daniels (LW) | Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center... |
| 20. | Craig Darby Craig Darby Craig Darby is a retired American professional ice hockey center who played in the National Hockey League with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils.-Playing career:... (C Centre (ice hockey) The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player... ) |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 21. | Doug Friedman Doug Friedman Frederick Douglas Friedman is a former professional ice hockey forward. Friedman was selected in the eleventh round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, 222nd overall, by the Quebec Nordiques. Friedman played four years with Boston University in the NCAA before beginning his professional career with... (LW) |
Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
| 22. | Tony Hrkac Tony Hrkac Anthony J. "Tony" Hrkac is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played eighteen season of professional hockey. He is currently head coach of the Concordia University Men's Ice Hockey Team.-College:... (C) |
Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... |
| 23. | Greg Johnson (C) | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
| 24. | Denny Lambert Denny Lambert Denny Lambert is a former professional Canadian ice hockey player. Lambert played in the National Hockey League for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim , Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators and the Atlanta Thrashers between 1995 and 2002. He has also coached the Sault Ste... (LW) |
Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
| 25. | Mike Sullivan (C) | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
| 26. | Scott Walker (RW) | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
Deals
In return for agreeing not to select certain unprotected players, the Predators were granted concessions by other franchises. The trades not involving Nashville draft picks all officially were booked as being for "future considerations":- Calgary traded Jim Dowd to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select a goaltender from the Flames.
- Chicago traded Sergei KrivokrasovSergei KrivokrasovSergei Vladimirovich Krivokrasov is a retired professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League for ten seasons between 1992 and 2002...
to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Chris TerreriChris TerreriChristopher Arnold Terreri is an American former goaltender for several NHL teams, most notably for the New Jersey Devils, with whom he played for twelve seasons....
. - Los Angeles traded Kimmo TimonenKimmo TimonenKimmo Timonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey defenseman and an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and Jan VopatJan VopatJan Vopat is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 126 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.He is the older brother of former NHL centre, Roman Vopat....
to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Garry GalleyGarry GalleyGarry Michael Galley is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League from 1984 to 2001...
. - Montreal traded Sebastien BordeleauSebastien BordeleauSébastien Bordeleau is a Canadian-born French professional ice hockey forward, who plays for EHC Biel. His father is retired NHL player Paulin Bordeleau.-Playing career:...
to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Peter PopovicPeter PopovicPeter "Poppe" Popovic is a retired Swedish ice hockey defenceman and currently an assistant coach of Tre Kronor. Popovic was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 5th round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft....
. - Philadelphia traded Dominic RousselDominic RousselDominic Roussel is a former professional ice hockey goaltender.-Playing career:Roussel was selected in the third round of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, 63rd overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers and made his NHL debut during the 1991–92 season...
and Jeff Staples to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Paul CoffeyPaul CoffeyPaul Douglas Coffey is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman in the National Hockey League. Known for his speed and scoring prowess, Coffey ranks second all-time among NHL defencemen in career goals, assists, and points, behind Ray Bourque.-Playing career:Coffey was drafted 6th...
(Nashville also sent the Flyers a seventh-round pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft1998 NHL Entry DraftThe 1998 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
). - San Jose traded Ville PeltonenVille PeltonenVille Peltonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the HIFK of the SM-liiga . He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as their third round pick, 58th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....
to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Tony GranatoTony GranatoAnthony Lewis Granato is an American retired National Hockey League left winger and a former head coach and assistant coach of the Colorado Avalanche...
(Nashville also sent the Sharks a fifth-round pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft). - St. Louis traded Darren TurcotteDarren TurcotteDarren Turcotte is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is the former head coach of the Team USA inline hockey team.Turcotte was drafted in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers...
to Nashville after the Predators agreed not to select Jamie McLennanJamie McLennanJamie McLennan is a former professional ice hockey goaltender. He retired from playing in 2008 after spending a season with the Nippon Paper Cranes of Asia League Ice Hockey.-Playing career:...
.
Post-draft
Several of the players selected by the Predators in the Expansion Draft did not stay with the team long after the draft. Among those moved before the start of the 1998–99 season were the following:- Mike Sullivan (traded to Phoenix for a pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft1999 NHL Entry DraftThe 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
on June 30, 1998) - Uwe Krupp (signed by Detroit on July 7, 1998)
- Tony Hrkac (traded to Dallas for future considerations on July 9, 1998)
- Doug Brown (traded to Detroit for Petr Sykora, a pick in the 1999 draft, and future considerations on July 14, 1998)
- Mike Richter (signed by the New York Rangers on July 15, 1998)
- Frederic Chabot (claimed off waivers by Los Angeles on July 20, 1998)
- Mikhail Shtalenkov (traded along with Jim Dowd to Edmonton for Eric FichaudEric FichaudÉric Fichaud is a professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected in the first round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, 16th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs...
, Drake BerehowskyDrake BerehowskyDrake Berehowsky is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League...
and Greg de VriesGreg de VriesGreg de Vries is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played over 800 games with six teams in the National Hockey League...
on October 1, 1998) - Al Iafrate (retired before the season began)
See also
- 1998 NHL Entry Draft1998 NHL Entry DraftThe 1998 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 27 at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. A total of 258 players were drafted.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
- 1998–99 NHL season