Yeah the D situation for the Canes as it relates to the expansion draft will be a tough call for management between now and the expansion draft.
So the rules say you can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie, under the following conditions.
* All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team's applicable protection limits.
* All first- and second-year NHL players, and all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection (and will not be counted toward protection limits.
So I assume Bean is non-exempt?
If you go with the 3 D protect option, Slavin, Pesce and Hamilton (if extended by the Canes). If you go the eight skater option I guess you could protect 4 D, again let's assume Hamilton stays long term and they protect Slavin/Pesce/Hamilton/Skjei.
That leaves Gardiner, Fleury, Bean available...along with any other defenseman that is added or signed along the way between now and then...
Whenever next season starts, a core seven on D of Slavin/Hamilton...Pesce/Skjei...and Gardiner/Fleury with Bean seems like the obvious choice right now. I do not see Edmunson, TVR or Vatanen being a part of the mix with the financial implications and UFA opportunities perhaps elsewhere for those guys.