Ken Holland addresses media

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland and his staff will be discussing the expansion draft, free agency and potential trade targets this week.

(MLive/Ansar Khan)

DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings management will discuss potential free-agent and trade targets and analyze every player in the organization, as always, during its annual pro scouting meetings this week.

A new topic for discussion is the expansion draft protection list.

The front office will meet Wednesday through Friday in Syracuse, N.Y., which coincides with Games 3 and 4 of the AHL Calder Cup finals between the Grand Rapids Griffins and Syracuse Crunch.

General manager Ken Holland expects to virtually finalize his list of 11 protected players (seven forwards, three defensemen and a goaltender) by the end of the week, pending potential moves the following week.

"We have decisions to make on our protection situation," Holland said. "I talked to a number of general managers in Buffalo briefly (last week during the Draft Combine). Everyone was focused on interviewing the kids. This week I'll get on the phone and talk to a few more teams, try to talk to all of the teams in the next week to 10 days."

Teams must submit their protected lists by 5 p.m. on June 17. The Vegas Golden Knights will select one player from each team (each club will lose only one player). Selections will be revealed June 21 during the NHL Awards.

The Red Wings' off-season priority is acquiring a top-pair puck-moving defenseman, the kind that won't be available in free agency (Kevin Shattenkirk is the best of a weak lot, but will be pricey and would probably prefer to sign with a Stanley Cup-contending club) and are difficult to come by in trade.

Some teams with potential protection issues -- like Minnesota, Anaheim and Winnipeg -- might look a deal a quality defenseman rather than lose him to expansion. However, those teams are more apt to deal with Vegas first - offering assets to ensure the Golden Knights don't select a particular player.

And teams with protection issues that trade with other clubs aren't going to take back a player they need to protect, they're going to seek futures (draft picks, prospect) or an expansion-exempt player.

Holland said he has formulated his protection list but wants to hear from his staff - including assistant GM Ryan Martin, assistant Kris Draper, coach Jeff Blashill and all the pro scouts.

"They need to have the opportunity to tell me their opinion," Holland said. "I'll sit in the room and tell them, 'Here's what I'm thinking.' Maybe half agree, maybe they all agree. And if they all don't agree with me they need to sway me in another position.

"These are people on the beat, they're watching games, they've been in the industry. I know what I want. I could submit my list right now. I could waffle around on a defenseman spot, maybe one forward spot, but I want to hear what my people think. They deserve that respect."

The Red Wings' list of protected forwards is certain to include Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist, Henrik Zetterberg and Frans Nielsen, who must be protected due to his no-movement clause. Dylan Larkin is exempt because he has only two years of pro experience. The final spot could go to Justin Abdelkader, despite his hefty contract (six years remaining at a $4.25 million cap hit).

If that's the case, Darren Helm, Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening and prospect Tomas Nosek would be exposed, among a few others.

On defense, the Red Wings figure to protect Danny DeKeyser, despite his contract (five years remaining at a $5 million cap hit) and poor 2016-17 season and Mike Green. The third spot could go to Nick Jensen, whose stock rose dramatically within the organization the second half of the season because of his skating and puck-moving abilities.

That would leave Xavier Ouellet and Ryan Sproul exposed, in addition to veterans Niklas Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson, who surely won't be selected due to age, contracts and health concerns.

The Red Wings would like to trade a goaltender, Jimmy Howard or Petr Mrazek, prior to the expansion draft. If that doesn't materialize, they probably would be inclined to protect Mrazek, who's eight years younger than Howard. That would leave Jared Coreau exposed. He's had a terrific playoff run with the Griffins, but was hot and cold during his stint with the Red Wings and hasn't proven himself in the NHL, which might prompt Vegas to pass on him.

After protection lists are submitted, teams will have three days to deal with Vegas before the expansion draft. A club could call the Golden Knights and ask them to draft a player from another club in exchange for "X."