Dear Red Wings: Waiting for the expansion draft protection list

We’re expecting to learn Sunday which Detroit Red Wings players will be protected from selection in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft on Wednesday.

UPDATE: Here’s who Red Wings are protecting in Seattle expansion draft

Here’s the updated Red Wings protection list released Sunday morning:

• F -- Dylan Larkin
• F -- Jakub Vrana
• F -- Tyler Bertuzzi
• F -- Robby Fabbri
• F -- Givani Smith
• F -- Michael Rasmussen
• F -- Adam Erne
• D -- Gustav Lindstrom
• D -- Filip Hronek
• D -- Nick Leddy
• G -- Thomas Greiss

Saturday evening was the deadline for NHL teams to submit their expansion draft protection lists, and then they are to announce them publicly on Sunday.

• You can follow protection lists updates for all teams here.

The deadline for the NHL to approve and distribute the protection lists is 10 a.m. Sunday. Once that is done, Seattle’s RFA/UFA interview period immediately begins for exposed players.

Here’s a quick review of what we might expect from the Red Wings. Reminder: Current NHL teams have two player protection options:

• Option 1: Protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie or
• Option 2: Protect eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie

A few weeks ago I wrote all about the rules for this expansion draft in my expansion draft primer -- read back here. That includes exemptions for players such as Moritz Seider, Joe Veleno, Lucas Raymond and Filip Zadina.

Assuming the Red Wings go with Option 1 (7 forwards, 3 defenseman, 1 goalie), here’s a guess at who they decide to protect in this expansion draft:

• F -- Dylan Larkin
• F -- Jakub Vrana (RFA status)
• F -- Tyler Bertuzzi (RFA status)
• F -- Robby Fabbri
• F -- Givani Smith
• F -- Michael Rasmussen (RFA status)
• F -- Adam Erne (RFA status)
• D -- Troy Stecher
• D -- Filip Hronek (RFA status)
• D -- Nick Leddy
• G -- Thomas Greiss

That’s my best guess. It’s never easy to project what Steve Yzerman and his staff will do. Never. But I think this list makes sense. Perhaps Vladislav Namestnikov is going to be a Kraken? Maybe Gustav Lindstrom?

UPDATE: Here’s who Red Wings are protecting in Seattle expansion draft

You can follow protection lists updates for all teams here.

Read more: Welcome, Nick Leddy; awaiting expansion protection list, busy week ahead

Previously:

• Ken Holland strikes, Kucherov calls Larionov, and a quiz
• Tanguay joins coaching staff; Chelios to ESPN
• Expansion draft primer, Sergei Fedorov quiz
• Gallant goes to Rangers; coaches quiz time
• Recalling the magical 2012-13 playoff run with two epic game 7s
• May 31, 2002 -- Red Wings score 7 goals vs. Avalanche in Game 7
• Wings will have 6th overall pick in 2021 NHL Draft
• Chris Osgood -- Hall of Famer?
• Jack Eichel -- could Yzerman add him?
• End-of-season notes: 2020-21 vs. 2019-20, looking ahead
• Veleno, Rasmussen showing promise down the middle
• Trading Anthony Mantha was more than Red Wings fans could ask for at deadline