Photo Credit: Zack Hill
The Philadelphia Flyers finally pulled the trigger on a deal. Hours before the trade deadline commences, Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher gets his guys. Fletcher had an itchy trigger finger, and plucked an experienced Center/Winger from the Montreal Canadiens in Nate Thompson in exchange for a fifth rounder in 2021. Also, the Flyers added Derek Grant from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for a 2020 fourth rounder.
Thompson is an intelligent hockey player. He is strong defensively, and really has a keen hockey sense. Thompson isn’t the fastest skater, but he can pot goals in tight spaces, and is tough to move off the puck. He plays a two-way game, and possesses puck skills to succeed at the NHL level. For his efforts, Thompson can play the penalty kill, and he is a sizable Forward down the middle as he stands 6’1″ 217 pounds.
This 35-year-old in Thompson is a solid versatile, bottom 9 player that plays the game the right way, and is good in the locker room. Moreover, Thompson would fit in well in Head Coach Alain Vigneault’s system, as he is a defensive first type of player. However, Thompson can pot a big goal or two, as well. For the season, he has registered 4 goals, and 10 assists for 14 points in 63 games played.
Derek Grant was on our trade radar for the past month, and I wrote a piece on him yesterday. Grant can play the PK, and Power Play. He’s a Defensive first type of player, and adds cup experience. Grant adds size to the lines as he stands at 6’3″ 206 pounds. He will play on the Penalty Kill starting tomorrow night for sure against the San Jose Sharks, and Grant could score a big goal. Grant has 14 goals on the season thus far.
Fletcher had to get an experienced Center/ Winger, as losing Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick (Prayers for both) is being felt throughout the lineup. Patrick, I do believe is going to be back at some point, but the Flyers cannot rely on Patrick’s return for success. He should not have pressure to succeed or excel at first, that’s why Thompson and Grant are perfect additions to the Flyers lineup.
I believe that Thompson and Grant will fit in Philadelphia just nicely, and the deals were fine for a UFA rental middle six forward/bottom six Forwards like Thompson and Grant even with all of their intangibles. The Flyers gained players who have Cup experience like Matt Niskanen, and proven Vets to help aid the youth for the duration of the season. This was perfect deals for Fletcher, as the Flyers do not know how all of these young prospects will perform in the playoffs.
If you are going to make a splash that’s not a major improvement over what u got and what is out there as everyone else is all in go figure