With the hypothetical possibility of an NHL expansion draft in 2025 looming, it's time to examine which players the New Jersey Devils would likely protect. This projection assumes that the Devils have addressed Luke Hughes' contract and that the rest of the roster remains unchanged.

Each NHL team has two options for protecting their players: Option one is to protect eight skaters (forwards or defensemen) and one goalie, or they can protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie. Furthermore, any player with a no-movement clause (NMC) must be protected unless they waive it. All first and second-year professional skaters are exempt from selection and do not count toward the protected list. For a player to be eligible for the expansion draft, they must have three or more years of professional experience by the end of the 2024-25 season. A season counts as professional experience if the player was 20 or older by December 31 of that season and played in at least one NHL, AHL, or ECHL game.

Given these guidelines, here’s a likely protection list for the Devils, using the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, and 1 goalie format:

Forwards:

• Jesper Bratt: Bratt has a no-movement clause, so he must be protected unless he waives it.
• Timo Meier: Like Bratt, Meier also has a no-movement clause and requires protection unless waived.
• Ondrej Palat: Palat also has a no-movement clause.
• Jack Hughes: Hughes is considered the team’s best forward and is a definite protect.
• Nico Hischier: As team captain and a top two-way center, Hischier is a crucial player to protect.
• Dawson Mercer: Mercer is a young, promising forward who has become an important part of the Devils' core.
• Alexander Holtz: Holtz is a highly touted prospect who the Devils will likely want to keep within the organization.

Defensemen:

• Dougie Hamilton: Hamilton is a key defenseman for the Devils, providing offensive capabilities and experience on the blue line.
• Luke Hughes: Assuming his contract is settled, Hughes is an essential part of the team's future.
• Simon Nemec: Nemec is another highly regarded young defenseman with significant potential.

Goaltender:

• Akira Schmid: Schmid has shown promise and is currently the most likely option to be the protected goalie.

With these protections, the Devils would aim to safeguard their core group of talented players while still complying with the expansion draft rules.