2021 Expansion Draft: How to watch, rules & coverage

Marking the beginning of the NHL’s new broadcast deal with ESPN, tonight’s Expansion Draft will be broadcast on ESPN2 in the United States and on Sportsnet 1, SN NOW and TVA Sports in Canada. The Seattle Kraken roster will be revealed, starting at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.

The Kraken will be welcoming several celebrities to help announce their inaugural roster, including other Seattle-area athletes Sue Bird, Marshawn Lynch, Lenny Wilkens, Jordan Morris, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Bobby Wagner and Kyle Lewis, who will be paired with frontline workers from Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. A release notes that “Kraken owner and Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer, GRAMMY Award-winning artist Macklemore, women’s hockey legend and Kraken scout Cammi Granato, Kraken Intersectionality consultant Chanel Keenan and members of Western Washington Female Hockey and the Anchorage Hockey Academy will also take part.”

The Kraken will select 14 forwards, nine defenders and three goaltenders from the pool of available players, taking one from each team, with the exception of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Here’s some reading to catch up on everything you need to know ahead of time:

• Kraken 2021 NHL Expansion Draft rules same as Golden Knights followed [via NHL.com]
• NHL Expansion Draft protected list for Kraken released [via NHL.com]
• 2021 Seattle Expansion Draft: San Jose Sharks primer
• 2021 Expansion Draft: Sharks protected list
• 2021 Expansion Draft: Who did the Sharks make available?/