The Flyers’ general manager Chuck Fletcher took over for Ron Hextall on December 3rd, 2018. Since his time in Philadelphia, he has managed to re-sign many of the Flyers’ players to team-friendly deals. Fletcher also made some minor trades, like acquiring the right for the expiring contract of center Kevin Hayes for a 5th round pick so he could have first dibs on signing this soon-to-be free agent. He also traded defenseman Radko Gudas in order to bring in Stanley Cup-winning veteran Matt Niskanen for a season. Then, there was the minor trade where he acquired Tyler Pitlick from Dallas for a season and shipped off the aging fan favorite Wayne Simmonds to Nashville, so he could create cap space. Beyond that, Chuck was able to bring in two expiring players- Derek Grant and Nate Thompson- at the trade deadline last season for a playoff push. Fletcher also made some small moves at the draft that look to be paying off when he moved up to get Zayde Wisdom and Elliot Desnoyers. Overall, when looking at his moves thus far, there are no whammies, but for the most part since taking over Chuck Fletcher has done little to this point to make any MAJOR changes to the Flyers’ lineup that he acquired. Now, while Chuck may have been left with a better group of players then most GM’s are dealt upon coming to a new team (with the work that Hextall did through the draft), it would be unwise to think that Fletcher would be in love with each and every player on his team’s roster. There has to be someone that he and his hired hand, head coach Alain Vigneault (who came to the team around the same time) would like to get rid of or someone from another team that they covet.
Presently, the rumor mills are starting to swirl as the NHL’s trade deadline approaches. It is apparent that the Flyers’ defense is not where they may like it to be. One of those rumors that is that Nashville may be willing to part with defenseman Mattias Ekholm, and with Predators scouts attending recent Phantoms games there might be some truth to the Flyers’ rumored interest. While this 30-year-old shutdown defenseman who has a career +73 would be a nice addition to sure up the team’s defense, is he really the one player that could get the team over the hump and elevate them to the level of their fellow Eastern Conference foes- the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning? The real answer is NO! Mattias is a left-hand shot, blue liner (something that the Flyers already have an abundance of). Ekholm’s contract also does not expire until the end of next season, which would force the Flyers to protect Ekholm in the upcoming expansion draft. This would possibly leave one of the Flyers’ young and upcoming defensemen unprotected and ripe for the picking since the rules state that a team may only protect seven forwards, three defenseman, and one goalie- or eight skaters and one goalie. Think about it: Whom would you then want to leave exposed? Provorov, Ekholm, Sanheim, or Myers? The fact that Ekholm is currently a top four defensemen with one year left on his contract means that the Flyers would have to pay up for his services, and do you really think that Mathias is the type of difference-making player that the Flyers should give up a 1st round pick (and more) for? Ekholm is just coming off of the Predators’ Injured Reserve List, and has a cap hit of $3.75 million next season. With a flat cap (no raise in the salary cap for next season) and Scott Laughton, Michael Raffl, Nolan Patrick, Travis Sanheim, Brian Elliott, and Carter Hart all having to be re-signed at seasons end, this would only further limit Fletcher’s ability to retain his own players’ services.
Should the Flyers then instead look for a right-hand shot defenseman with an expiring contract that plays a similar style of game, who would then cost less to acquire? For example: David Savard from the Columbus Blue Jackets, who is also 30 years old but is an expiring unrestricted free agent whom the Flyers would not have to look to protect during the expansion draft, and they could then still look to re-sign if they so wanted next season. Savard- in this writer’s opinion- is more physical, posting 1082 hits in his career versus Ekholm’s just 420, and is more than willing to block shots that his goaltender cannot see coming. These blocked shots total 918 over the course of his career versus Ekholm’s 716. Not to mention Savard’s willingness to step in and stand up for his teammates when needed. With an expiring contract Savard would most certainly cost the Flyers less to acquire and leave other, more valuable, assets available for the possibility of obtaining a proven NHL level talent who could help improve the offense as well. A defenseman like say Erik Gustafsson and maybe a 3rd round pick may be enough for us to see Savard in orange and black this season.
With the Flyers not having to give up that 1st round pick (or other assets that are similar in value) Philadelphia could also go out and try to acquire a first line NHL All Star talent that they so need by the trade deadline or at the draft. A player that is a true threat to score each and every time they are on the ice. One player that would fit that need and be more than willing to join and re-sign with the Flyers in the future is none other than the 27-year-old Salem, New Jersey native Johnny “Johnny Hockey” Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames. Gaudreau is coming up on the final year of his contract next season and has expressed interest multiple times in the past in one day playing for his childhood idols the Philadelphia Flyers who he came to love while growing up and playing for their junior team the Little Flyers. While Johnny may be rather diminutive in size, this winger has just proven time and time again during his now eight-year career in the NHL that he can be dominant in his pursuit of putting points on the board. One thing that has helped his efforts over the years is his incredible stick-handling ability while at high speeds which he uses to allow him to dart his way elusively through his opponent’s defenses. Acquiring him would give the Flyers a true first-line talent (who has made FIVE different All-Star appearances in his career thus far) who is a threat to score each and every time he is on the ice. The reason why Calgary might be willing to make this trade a little earlier than expected is that they currently have star forward Matthew Tkachuk stuck behind Gaudreau in the lineup whose contract is set to expire at the same time and will most likely get the nod for an extension rather than the aging veteran Gaudreau at this point.
Such a trade for a player of Gaudreau’s talents would not come cheaply for the Flyers- this is for sure, but it may be worth the expense to see the first major shakeup to the Flyers core in quite some time. A trade for Johnny would most certainly have to start with a player of some esteem on the current roster to counter Gaudreau’s $6.75 million dollar salary. Then, it might take a 1st round pick and a high-level prospect (like, say former-WHL Calgary Hitman defenseman Egor Zamula- who the Flames should be more than aware of seeing that he played at such a high level in juniors in their own back yard). I’m sure such a deal would take many back-and-forths in order to complete: One could only guess as to what Calgary might need at the time.
Regardless of the cost though, this writer thinks it is high time that Chuck Fletcher really makes a significant move to better his team now! The years of wasting players’ careers (like Simmonds, Hartnell’s, Giroux’s and Voracek’s) should be over. Philadelphia has immense depth within the system at every position now and if the Flyers want to have a real shot at Lord Stanley’s cup there is no time like the present to make a deal!
