NLL Expansion Draft FAQ’s – Seals Edition

When is the 2022 Expansion Draft?

July 7, 2022.

How many players can you protect? 

• Option A – 11 players in total, including a maximum of 5 forwards and one goalie
• Option B – 12 players in total, including a maximum of 4 forwards and one goalie
  • There is a special exemption for the Panther City Lacrosse Club as a first-year team that missed the playoffs. They are permitted to protect 13 players, including a maximum of 6 forwards and one goalie.

How many players will each team lose?  

One player will be selected from each team.

Why would you leave someone like Dane Dobbie unprotected? 

Free agency plays into each GM’s decision. Players whose contracts expire on July 31, 2022, are over the age of 30 and have played at least six years in the league will become unrestricted free agents on August 1 and can decide where they want to sign.

Scenario: The Seals left Dane Dobbie unprotected because if Las Vegas decides to select him, Dane would still be able to sign with any team on August 1 because he’s an unrestricted free agent.

How does the Franchise Tag work? 

Each team has one Franchise Tag they may apply to a player prior to August 1. Players who will attain age 34 by December 31, 2022 may reject the Franchise Tag. If a team has applied a Franchise Tag to a player, that player will not become a free agent this offseason.

Scenario: If Las Vegas selects Brodie Merrill in the expansion draft, he can reject the Franchise Tag and not play in Vegas because he is over the age of 34. If Las Vegas selects Jeremy Noble in the expansion draft and places the Franchise Tag on him, he would have to play in Vegas because he is under the age of 34, even though he is an unrestricted free agent.

Can teams make trades during the Expansion Draft?

Of course, that’s how we got Wesley Berg! Rosters will unfreeze on July 7.

Which Seals are unrestricted free agents? 

Dane Dobbie, Zack Greer, Brett Hickey, Brodie Merrill, Jeremy Noble, Tor Reinholdt, Frank Scigliano

Which Seals can reject the Franchise Tag? 

Dane Dobbie, Zack Greer, Brodie Merrill