he did. an expansion team would jump all over a weber or rinne not protected instead of any draft choice you could offer them. an instant name high impact player to be respectable early.
if it were before this next season depending on what the protected mix is you do something like;
if it's 7 forwards/3 defenders/1 goalie...
...you protect Weber, Josi, Eckholm and risk Ellis, Bitetto
...you protect Johansen, Neal, Forsberg, Smtih, Jarnkrok, Fiala, Kamenev/Arvidsson and take your risks on aged guys like Fish and ribs and on your younger prospects and Wilson
...you protect Rinne and risk Saros.
that way you probably lose Ellis or Wilson
it the mix is 8 skaters and 1 goalie you protect your defense corps and best existing forwards first;
...josi, weber, eckholm, ellis
...Johansen, Neal, Forsberg, Smith
...rinne
you risk everyone else, hoping they choose a Wilson instead of a Fiala/Saros.
if it's 10 skaters and a goalie you protect your 4 man defense corp and add probably a Fiala, Jarnkrok/Arvidsson to the above 4 forwards and risk Kamenev and Saros and hope the choice is a Jarnkrok/Wilson/Arvidsson level player
Now if it's in two years and if Vesey signs and Fiala makes the team and are both successful then your very depth puts you in the worst trouble as far as risking a top type player.