We all want a home and we are here to find soon-to-be-former Philadelphia Flyers players a place where they can hang their hat. It might not be a forever home, but it will be a home for the next couple of months and maybe that home can be decorated with a Stanley Cup at the end of all of this.
With just over a week until the NHL trade deadline, the clock is ticking to try and get something in return for these players’ services. The Flyers might not have the most attractive names on the market, but there are enough teams that desire players that can do what they do, that there should be some interested parties.
Let’s find the right fit for them, because after all, we want them to experience some happiness after suffering in Philadelphia all season long. Be free, my dudes.
James van Riemsdyk
Minnesota Wild
The Wild need scoring — badly. After finishing near the top of the league in goals scored last season, they kicked out Kevin Fiala last summer and found themselves lost when it came to putting pucks in the back of the net. Now sitting 25th in the league in goals scored per game, Minnesota could use van Riemsdyk’s simple talent of being a good offensive player without dragging down the defense.
As an added bonus, the Wild can absorb van Riemsdyk’s entire $7-million cap hit so the Flyers won’t need to retain any salary. That might affect the price, but maybe the owners will be a little happy about that over increasing the pick from a third-rounder to a second.
Justin Braun
Edmonton Oilers
Trading for Justin Braun at a crucial trade deadline seems like a very Ken Holland move, doesn’t it? The Oilers need more reliable defensive defensemen on the right side after Tyson Barrie and Cody Ceci hasn’t played well enough (big surprise, right?). And since they are right up against the cap ceiling, nabbing a cheap rental like Braun makes total sense for them.
Edmonton does seem like a place where they can go on a run and Braun will turn into the wily veteran that wins his first Cup just before retirement.
Nick Seeler
Calgary Flames
If Braun is a Holland move, acquiring Nick Seeler is the most Darryl Sutter ass move we can think of. The Flames might not even be in a playoff spot at the time of the trade deadline, so nabbing Seeler from the Flyers for a low draft pick feels like a trade that is making a trade just to make a trade.
The rugged blueliner is locked up for next season as well, so as the Flames tinker with their roster, they know at least someone can be their sixth or seventh defenseman.
Patrick Brown
Colorado Avalanche
Patrick Brown might get traded? We’re just totally guessing here.
The trade deadline is a crazy place and Brown is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be seen as just some insurance at center for a playoff team. The Avalanche are a pretty good hockey team battling through injuries and still managing to stay competitive in the Central. Because of these injuries, they have had to dress dudes like Matt Nieto and Denis Malgin in their bottom-six forward group.
So, what if they just get a guy that is always there and not that special but can at least provide some stability? And you just know that Colorado would turn Brown into something.
Kevin Hayes
Carolina Hurricanes
We don’t realistically think that Hayes will be on the move in the next several days, but you really never know what is going to happen next with this team. They surprise you in the most disappointing way.
It is fairly simple math for Hayes to end up in Carolina. They need a middle-six center to provide some offense to finally be that trusted player as they make a deep playoff run, plus because of some LTIR, they have the current cap space to fit Hayes’s entire contract right now. So, it’s either they get Hayes at full price and he essentially replaces Jordan Staal next season, or they get him cheaper and pay even less and they can maybe keep the same team around.
Ivan Provorov
Los Angeles Kings
Again, Provorov moving before 3:00 p.m. on March 3 seems very unlikely, but we’re just finding an easy already-rumored destination for the defenseman. The Kings want to take the next step as a hockey team and compete for the top spot in the Pacific, but on the blue line, they have just Drew Doughty and Mikey Anderson tied to contracts beyond next season. That extra year of security in Provorov might be enticing for a team wanting to take that jump and be a strong force years down the road.
We’re just guessing here.
