Detroit Red Wings: 4 options for Seattle Kraken in NHL Expansion Draft

Everything seemed fairly straightforward for the Detroit Red Wings when submitting their list of protected players before the upcoming Seattle Kraken NHL Expansion Draft, except for one decision.

Detroit Red Wings general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman elected to protect prospect Gustav Lindstrom over a more proven asset in Troy Stecher.

Stecher, formally of the Vancouver Canucks is a 27-year old defender born in British Columbia is the most likely choice of the Kraken.  Stecher may enjoy returning close to home to play and live, but aside from maybe Filip Hronek, Stecher had been Detroit’s most dependable defenseman last season.

I had a hunch Stecher may be left exposed by the Red Wings but hoped the organization decided to protect Nick Leddy, Hronek, and Lindstrom.

The rest of the protected Detroit Red Wings players are as follows;

• Dylan Larkin
• Jakub Vrana
• Tyler Bertuzzi
• Michael Rasmussen
• Robby Fabbri
• Givani Smith
• Adam Erne
• Thomas Greiss

The draft will take place this coming Wednesday evening, July 21st, at 8 p.m Est. It can be viewed on ESPN2 and Sportsnet in Canada.

I can only assume that the Red Wings intended to protect Stecher before acquiring Leddy a few days ago; it’s just another indication that things change quickly in professional sports. Protecting Stecher would have allowed Yzerman another trade chip at the NHL Trade Deadline in an attempt to add additional draft capital.

Stecher has one year remaining on the exceptionally team-friendly contract that pays him just $1.7 million this season.

There are three other players that the Seattle Kraken may elect to pick from Detroit not named Troy Stecher.

Here they are;