So who do Jackets protect for a 2021 start?
Cam, PLD, Anderson & ..... Wennberg? Jenner? Some prospect who hits the big time - Davidsson, Foudy, ???
Jones, Werenski, Murray, Nutivara... depends on how Gavrikov pans out, Savard?
Goalie? Our best.
Definitely seems like an 8 skater protected list.
Edit: Oops I guess my pessimism is showing through, Bread for sure if he is here.
Guys with less than three years as a pro are exempt, so Foudy and anyone coming next year don't need protection. But everyone on this year's NHL and AHL roster will have their 3 years by 2021, including Abramov, Stenlund, etc... I'm not sure about Davidsson and Gavrikov, but IIRC the league decided, oddly, that European leagues didn't count as "pro" for these purposes, so that those guys would be exempt.
More conveniently, the only NMC in 2021 is Cam's, and we will want to protect him anyways.
My best guess for the protected spots at this point (far too early):
F's: Dubois, Atkinson, Anderson, + one new high end forward acquisition.
D: Jones, Werenski, Nutivaara, Murray.
A forward like Jenner or Bjorkstrand would get picked in this scenario, or if there's a promising guy like Stenlund, then maybe him.
Alternatively, if Gavrikov is in the fold, the Jackets could go 7F 3D and let Murray go instead.