Doubt Francis wants to lose his job helping Jim save his.

The TB dmen Van would have their choice of is McDonagh and Rutta...

I am pretty sure Tampa has to protect McDonagh. They may have to give Seattle a pick or trade one of Cal Foote or Cernak

They don't have to protect McDonagh. The might lose Foote.

Also, the logic "don't wanna lose them for nothing/cheap" doesn't really hold water because now (in this scenario) not only is Tampa down a player they lost for nothing they're down a player the lost well below value.

So team with multiple good assets available to Seattle are probably more likely to just take the hit and only lose one player from their lineup.

Ya it really only makes sense to trade a player rather than lose them for nothing if there is a huge dropoff from that player and the next player that would be taken.

For example: (for the sake of this example let's pretend Logan Stanley wasn't eligible) Winnipeg would protect Morrisey, Demelo, Pionk, Schiefle, Ehlers, Dubois, Wheeler, Lowry, Copp, Connor.

This would leave Appleton exposed. The next best player would be like Nathan Beaulieu maybe? In a situation like that it would make sense to move Appleton for assets.

Now of course Stanley is eligible so this wouldn't make sense in reality as then they lose both Appleton and Stanley

No Chance Cernak is available Mcdonagh is definitely not protected even going 4x4 Foote is protected over Mcdonagh.
Mcdonagh only has a NTC not NMC so they aren't required to protect him

If Minnesota trade Dumba they can protect their entire core group. They're really the only example I can think of.