You're not going to get a pick to take Silfverberg. Personally I think they protect Silfverberg because the D would be easier to replace anyway. But even if they didn't protect him that means that they protected the defense and therefore wouldn't need to give up the pick to not take one of the ones left exposed.

Fair enough, I think the Ducks will trade ethier Silfverberg or Josh Manson before the expansion anyway

I think they'll trade Vatanen or Fowler (I'm partial to Vatanen) because they would have ready made replacements for them in Brandon Montour and Shea Theodore/ Jacob Larsson respectively. The forward depth isn't quite the same and they don't have a D man in the same mold as Manson

No way does Silfverberg get traded or not protected. If we have to lose someone it will be Vatanen. Unless he gets traded which is still possible then we would lose Veremtte.