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The1992 NHL expansion draft was anexpansion draft held by theNational Hockey League (NHL) to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the1992–93 season, theOttawa Senators and theTampa Bay Lightning. The draft was held on June 18, 1992, inMontreal, Quebec, Canada.

21 of the 22 franchises in the league at the time of the draft were allowed to protect two goaltenders and fourteen position players (theSan Jose Sharks were the only team exempt from protection restrictions as they were an expansion team the previous season). Beyond that, every team had to make available at least one goaltender who had played at least one NHL game.^[1]

This clause (known to the league teams far in advance) led to several trades so that teams could fulfill the requirement without exposing their lead goaltenders. It also led to anomalies such asRay LeBlanc (the star of the1992 United States Olympic team) being put into the only NHL game of his career so that theChicago Blackhawks could expose him and notEd Belfour,Dominik Hasek orJimmy Waite. To avoid exposing any of their three goaltenders, theWashington Capitals re-signed former goalieBernie Wolfe, who was 40 years old and last played an NHL game in 1979. League presidentJohn Ziegler held up approval of the contract and summoned Capitals general managerDavid Poile to Toronto to explain himself; not willing to risk being sanctioned, the team signedSteve Weeks instead.^[1]

There were 42 players selected in the draft, two from each participating franchise. The Lightning and Senators were each to pick two goaltenders, seven defensemen, and twelve forwards.

Among players selected in the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft and then moved before the start of the1992–93 season were the following:

Tampa Bay:

• Frederic Chabot (traded to Montreal forJean-Claude Bergeron on June 18, 1992)
• Tim Hunter (traded to Quebec for future considerations on June 19, 1992)
• Jeff Bloemberg (traded to Edmonton for future considerations on September 25, 1992)

• 1992 NHL entry draft
• 1992 NHL supplemental draft
• 1992–93 NHL season

• SensNetwork.com: Ottawa Senators 1992 NHL Expansion Draft Selections
• Usenet post on draft order (copied fromThe Hockey News)
• Tampa Bay Lightning Media Guide (page 44)

• 1992 NHL Expansion Draft player stats atThe Internet Hockey Database

• 1992–93 NHL season
• History of the Ottawa Senators (1992–)
• Tampa Bay Lightning
• NHL expansion drafts

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