The NHL trade deadline is still over a month away, but there’s always time to speculate about rumors.
TSN published its first Trade Bait board of 2024 and three Philadelphia Flyers players appeared on the 40-player (or pick) list. Two of the names were expected while one player may come as more of a surprise.
Sean Walker
Sean Walker was the first Flyers player listed at No. 4, behind only Calgary’s Elias Lindholm and Chris Tanev as well as former Flame Sean Monahan. Walker’s inclusion on the list comes as no surprise. A few teams have already been linked to Walker, including the Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and of course, the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The right-handed defenseman is a free agent after this year and although the 29-year-old blueliner has impressed in Philadelphia, the Flyers would be better off getting some assets — likely at least a first-round pick — for him. There could’ve been a timeline where Walker signs a short-term deal to stay in Philadelphia, but the addition of Jamie Drysdale all but closed the door on that.
Morgan Frost
The second-highest Flyers player on the board at No. 20 is one Morgan Frost. Frost has been an enigma since turning pro in 2019.
The 27th overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft broke out in the second half of last season to end the year with 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 81 games. However, he started slow this year and a mid-year lull resulted in a healthy scratch. Rather than sulking, Frost requested a meeting with John Tortorella and has been on a tear since.
Frost has 11 points in his last 12 games to match his 11 points in his first 27 games this season. He may finally be blossoming in his second year under Tortorella, but this also could just be another unsustainable hot streak.
The Flyers moving Frost now — depending on how the next few weeks go — is an interesting proposal. It would likely be in a so-called “hockey trade” for a player in a similar situation elsewhere. Either this is the start of a real breakout for Frost or the Flyers can sell while his value is high.
Nevertheless, moving Frost would be much more likely in the offseason when teams are trying to revamp their roster, not at the trade deadline when the focus is on shorter-term deals. The 24-year-old forward has a cap hit of $2.1 million before becoming a restricted free agent next offseason.
Nick Seeler
Rounding out the Flyers players on the Trade Bait board is Nick Seeler. The hard-nosed defenseman has played his way into a potential future in Philadelphia.
Seeler is in the second and final year of a two-year deal carrying a cap hit of $775,000. He’s a real cheap option for any team looking to add defensive depth, which is extremely important in the playoffs.
There have been recent rumblings about the Flyers potentially re-signing Seeler, which may not necessarily be a bad thing, but he turns 31 in June and could be taking the roster spot of an up-and-coming prospect next year.
Ultimately, if the Flyers can get a mid-round pick for Seeler — or include him in a trade with his defensive partner Walker — they likely have to pull the trigger.
