League officials originally hoped to hold the expansion draft on Friday, but it will likely be held next week. The hold-up is another potential expansion franchise, though no one will comment officially or answer specific questions about the state of a possible Quad City team.
"We will reconvene our annual meeting in the next 48 hours and finish up the annual meeting and have announcements to make at that point and time for firm dates on the scheduling meeting and some other announcements," Komets President Michael Franke said. "Any of the expansion stuff right now I can't speak to."
The league does have a couple of plans in place for the expansion draft. If it's for one team, the other five teams can protect 15 players and one goaltender; if it's for two teams, they can protect 13 and one. Only the players who were on a team's final roster at the end of the season are eligible for selection, and teams must protect any returning players they already have under contract.
The dispersal draft of Kalamazoo players will likely be held the same day.
Komets General Manager David Franke said he met with Guy Dupuis and Colin Chaulk today to discuss new contracts and will meet with Nick Boucher, Rick Varone and P.C. Drouin later this week. The Komets have already made an offer to Leo Thomas.
