July 21 is just over 2 months away and things can change well before then. However, found the below link where there has been some thought put into which players teams will protect and which players may be made available.
This link is focused on the central division, however there are links to the other divisions in the article.
https://soundofhockey.com/2021/02/19...cover-central/
Was hoping we might have a chance to make a deal with a good team to trade a pick for a player they may have trouble protecting, specifically a forward. However, looking at the rosters, I don't think there will be many options and doubt that we will see as many side deals as Vegas made with other teams. The one team that stands out is Tampa Bay, but given the quality of players they have available, can see them being a team making a side deal with Seattle. In the event that we could get a Palat, Gourde or Killorn from them on the cheap, that would help bolster our top 6/9. I don't see an issue exposing Backlund as his contract is probably prohibitive enough to prevent Seattle from selecting him.