VOORHEES, N.J. — Two days earlier than Friday’s 3 p.m ET NHL commerce deadline, the Flyers moved Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round decide to the Avalanche in change for a conditional 2025 first-rounder and Ryan Johansen.
Per nationwide stories, the Flyers positioned the 31-year-old Johansen on waivers Wednesday.
Walker, a 29-year-old, right-handed defenseman, was having a profession 12 months for the rebuilding Flyers. He is on an expiring contract and was one of many membership’s prime commerce chips.
“It is most likely top-of-the-line issues to have, proper?” Walker stated of the commerce buzz final month. “On the finish of the day, you are taking part in rather well and groups need you. That’s the scenario once you come to a spot on an expiring contract, the scenario I am in.”
Walker stunned nearly everybody in Philadelphia. He arrived final summer time in the three-team Ivan Provorov commerce, a transfer made by the Kings very a lot for the aim of clearing cap area. Flyers head coach John Tortorella needed to do his homework on Walker, reaching out to then-Los Angeles coach Todd McLellan for a scouting report.
“I did not know something about him, talked to Mac once we bought him,” Tortorella stated final month. “Nice competitor. When he is a protected participant, he is a foul participant. When he is a participant that takes an opportunity, takes an opportunity on his gaps, takes an opportunity making performs, he is a extremely good participant.”
With the Flyers, Walker has had a profession resurgence after struggling a torn ACL and MCL in his proper knee not even two and a half years in the past. Taking part in principally alongside Nick Seeler on the Flyers’ second defensive pair, Walker put up six objectives, 16 assists and a plus-9 score over 63 video games.
He entered Wednesday tied with the Hurricanes’ Jaccob Slavin for probably the most shorthanded objectives by a defenseman (two) and was second amongst Flyers blueliners in hits (86).
Whereas Walker performed an necessary position within the Flyers’ turnaround this season, the group has acknowledged it is rebuilding. The Flyers have put an emphasis on the long run and never shedding sight of it due to one playoff run.
Walker is a pending unrestricted free agent. He’ll have his suitors and a possible payday within the offseason. Danny Briere did a very good job by netting a first-round decide for a participant he may have misplaced for nothing come the summer time.
“We have stated from the start we wished to construct a staff that was going to be a Stanley Cup contender for years to come back and never only a one in, one out, one in, one out [of the playoffs] prefer it has been,” the Flyers’ basic supervisor stated in January. “The attention continues to be on the long run.”
Together with Walker, Briere acquired a first-round decide within the Provorov commerce. The Flyers drafted righty-shot defenseman Oliver Bonk with the decide at No. 22 general final summer time. Briere was then capable of flip Walker for an additional first-round decide.
In 2024, the Flyers could have two first-round choices, one among them coming from former basic supervisor Chuck Fletcher’s Claude Giroux commerce. In 2025, they’re going to have two first-rounders so long as the Avalanche’s decide would not fall within the prime 10. If it does, the Flyers purchase Colorado’s 2026 first-round choice.
Proper now, the Flyers’ depth on protection has shrunken significantly. Seeler, who signed a four-year contract extension Wednesday, is on injured reserve. He’ll miss at the least the subsequent two video games (Thursday and Saturday), whereas Jamie Drysdale and Rasmus Ristolainen are out week to week with accidents.
4 of the Flyers’ six wholesome defensemen are 24 years previous or youthful in Cam York, Egor Zamula, Ronnie Attard and Adam Ginning.
“You have bought some younger youngsters on the again finish now getting a while possibly in our subsequent recreation right here,” Tortorella stated Wednesday after follow. “That is the best way we have to take a look at it. You simply fill it in and hopefully Seels will get again as shortly as doable.”
Johansen, a veteran heart, has this season and the subsequent remaining on his contract at an annual $4 million cap hit.
Extra: As commerce rumors ‘begin flying,’ Laughton reminding Flyers of his worth
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