The Nashville Predators are at risk of losing James Neal or Calle Jarnkrok to the expansion draft.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports the Predators have not been able to work out a deal with the Vegas Golden Knights to protect both forwards, despite their best efforts.

LeBrun says the team hasn’t lost faith just yet and will continue to try to work out a deal and evaluate the overall trade market as well.

Either Neal or Jarnkrok is expected to be available at the expansion draft because the Predators are likely to protect eight skaters over seven forwards and three defence in order to keep their top-four defencemen P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis safe. At forward, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson are considered to be locks for three of the remaining four spots.

Neal, 29, scored 23 goals and added 18 assists in 70 games during the regular season this year and added six goals and nine points in the team's run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Jarnkrok, 25, scored 15 goals and 31 points in 81 games this season. He added two goals and seven points in 21 post-season contests.