The NHL Expansion Draft is (likely) coming
While there are no guarantees that NHL expansion will happen, it is extremely likely that the league will grow by another team or two. The expansion process is not easy from the legal and commercial points of view.
However, in as early as a couple of years from now, we may witness a team in Las Vegas, Quebec, Seattle, Hamilton or some place else. Sooner or later, the San Jose Sharks, along with every other team in the league, will have to make some really difficult decisions regarding which players should be protected from the expansion draft, and which ones can go.