No, because they could most likely take Jones for free without taking Neal's contract.

This assuming they protect Klefbom, Nurse and Bear.

If they protect Jones as well, they'll just take Kahun instead.

Unfortunately this is correct

If Seattle does look to take Neal in a package with Jones and a pick, why retain anything at all anyways?

Klefbom likely will not need protection. They're using the same rules as the VGK expansion, whereby: “Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a club’s player exposure requirements, unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection by the League.”

The number of games will likely be pro-rated, but the point remains.

You are incorrect. It is true he satisfies the first criteria 60 games missed but he also played a prorated 71.6 games last year. He would need to have played less than 70 games. You are missing a comma after career threatening injury it’s missed 60 games and doesn’t meet exposure requirements. Klefbom is not exempt. I still wouldn’t protect him though.

That quote is copied verbatim from the nhl.com web site, June 16th, 2017, Rules for 2017 Expansion Draft

If they pro-rate, the number of games lost for this season would be 41. He will have missed way more than that, and given his injury (arthritic shoulder needing surgery,) he wont be elligble.

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-expansion-draft-rules/c-281010592

I agree that Klefbom will miss 82 prorated games this season, but you assume too much. Edmonton can't use klefbom to meet their one defence exposure requirement was all it said. He can still be selected. He may be eligible for exemption based on the first criteria but there are other criteria that say if he is.

Injured Players

Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed the previous 60+ consecutive games due to an injury, do not meet the criteria set forth by the league in respect to the minimum exposure requirements for players, and in certain cases these players may even be deemed as exempt from the Expansion Draft selection process.

https://www.capfriendly.com/expansion-draft-faq

Klefbom meets the minimum exposure limits with 71.6 prorated games played in the last 2 years so based on this source he doesn't meet exemption criteria.

Assuming this season is prorated, Klefbom will have missed >41 games, which will trigger the medical review. The review will find that his injury is "career threatening," and they will exempt him from the expansion draft.

All of the information speaks to the season leading up to the draft, not two seasons. Where are you getting "the last 2 years" from?

Exposure thresholds are from the past 2 seasons.

The information above as I understand it says that to be exempt you need to 1) Miss the last 60 games of the season prior to the draft which he is. 2) Not meet exposure thresholds which is 70 games played last 2 Seasons or 40 Games Season prior to draft.