Morning Flurries: Expansion is Coming

Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty ImagesWhile the Colorado Avalanche had a quiet Father’s Day weekend, the NHL continues to inch along in preparation for the July 21st expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken. Yesterday afternoon the league announced which players would be exempt from the expansion draft via Cap Friendly.

There had been some speculation that goaltender Pavel Francouz could be declared exempt because he did not play a single game in the 2020-21 season but it seems clear that those who have retired or are close to it are really only those who will not be available for Seattle. Now the Avalanche must expose Francouz if they re-sign Philipp Grubauer or otherwise acquire…