Each team is allowed to protect 2 players from their home association in each draft. In addition, teams can protect up to 4 additional players in lieu of draft picks, provided that they have a draft pick available in each consecutive round for each protected player.  ie. if a team has draft picks in round 1 and round 2, but not in round 3, they can protect 2 additional players.  Players become members of the team that protected them, and therefore are removed from the draft lists.