Photo Credit: Matt Slocum/AP
The Flyers penalty kill has been fantastic all season long coming Ed has to do with the play of Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny, and Sean Walker. Walker has been a great addition for the orange and black, he’s steady and has been speedy at times. He’s been great in the locker room, and has given a lot of experience for the youth. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Walker has been traded to the Colorado Avalanche today.
The trade is as follows:
Col- 2026 fifth round pick to Avalanche and Walker
Phi- 2025 first round pick, and Ryan Johansen
The Flyers then waived Johansen.
The Avalanche had to get the ball rolling, is they saw Matt Dumba and Adam Henrique, to name a few, defensemen get crossed off the board, on a list of possibilities to trade for.
That is what he brings to the table, he’s not the flashiest defenseman offensively, but he does bring some finesse. He has tallied a few short-handed goals this season, and has netted some big goals this season. He’s been better than advertised, and Walker turned into being a good cap dump for the Flyers.
The Flyers are a young team, and have benefitted from some vets like Walker and Marc Staal. These two have helped the youth on defense most notably, and have helped them grow as pros.
Walker has been a good addition to the Flyers blue line. He breaks up plays, is Gap control is excellent, and he rarely gets beat. Walker is in the final year of his $2.65 million contract, but he’s making the most of his value here in Philadelphia, while teaching the youth along the way, “Given the right opportunity and the right situation, I knew I could perform well and do well,” Walker said a few weeks ago.
It appears Walker is relishing his new role in Philadelphia well. He’s aggressive, he’s leading to play up the ice, he’s been good in transition. Walker will play in any situation the coaching staff asks, and he does it well. One underrated part to his game is his aggressiveness. He’s not afraid to stand players up at the blue line, and that is something that is lacked from the Flyers blue line for some time, “He’s been really good,” Tortorella said last week of Walker. “He’s been noticeable. He’s probably one of our most aggressive defensemen, taking a chance as far as getting your gap very early, and not waiting for them to cross the red line to get your gap.”
A good addition by Flyers’ General Manager Danny Briere, and to be quite honest the best addition to the Flyers lineup this season. Walker is flourishing in Philadelphia and he has tons of confidence, “Getting the opportunity. You play lots of minutes, you feel good, and your confidence gets higher. I’ve just been rolling off that, and feeling good.”
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