why do you need to make a trade for them to take him
options at fwd: blackwell, gautier, howden, on def: its bitetto and thats it in goal: is kinkaid
exempt: laf, kakko, kravtsov, barron, fox, miller, shesterkin
protected: zib, krieder, panarin, chytil, lemieux, strome, beuchnevich; trouba, lindgren, i guess hejak,; georgiev

To ensure that they take him and not someone else. Similar to what Florida did in the Vegas expansion draft (although that backfired for them lol)

Who would you want to protect in that list that would be worth giving up robertson a pick and one of the players on said list

Is it really just those five who will be exposed? I'm always hazy on expansion draft rules... then I suppose that trade isn't necessary.

there are some lower level players go to the expansion tool and to the rangers and you can see. i think like smith and johnson are technically available as well