Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Weekly Mailbag: Who Gets Traded?

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NHL: Edmonton Oilers at Philadelphia Flyers
Feb 2, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Wayne Simmonds (17) during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

How about your Philadelphia Flyerssss!!!!! They are just absolutely on a tear right now, thanks in large part to Carter Hart. Hart has been a blessing in disguise for the orange and black.

Let’s take the greatest game on Earth outdoors. Tomorrow the Flyers will host their rivals in the Pittsburgh Penguins at Lincoln Financial Field in the outdoor game. What will the storylines be? Who will shine? What will Hart’s new mask look like? Without further delay here are our answers to your questions.

I believe Andrew MacDonald will indeed be bought out in the offseason. Fletcher was able to trade Dale Weise, and to me, this freed up a buyout option for MacDonald (Dale Weise would have been bought out if he wasn’t traded). There are just too many promising young Defencemen ready to take his place, with the likes of Samuel Morin and Philippe Myers. Not to mention an addition of a top-four defenseman which may be on the horizon here shortly, or in the offseason, for that matter.

Wayne Simmonds will be traded before the trade deadline concludes. However, I do not believe the Flyers will get a first-round draft pick for his services. I could see a second-round pick, an immediate NHL player, and a prospect, or maybe a high-end prospect like Eeli Tolvanen, and a 6th or 7th round pick for his services.

Nick thanks a lot for your support.

I’m going with Eeli Tolvanen. Regardless of how people feel. I think Nashville makes the perfect sense to acquire Wayne Simmonds. Peter Laviolette is very familiar with the Wayne Train obviously, and General Manager David Poile and the Philadelphia Flyers have a rich history of being trading partners. 

The Predators are mightily struggling on the PP with a success rate of 12.6%, which is dead last in the league. Yes, they acquired Brian Boyle, but Simmonds is a power play specialist that takes a beating in front of the net for garbage goals. This could immensely help the Predators to finally get over the hump. There is no lack of talent in Nashville to not have an extended playoff run. I believe their extended playoff run will lie in the hands of their special teams, not goaltending (which is good), not offense (which is good), not defense (which is good), not the PK (which is solid at 81.1% 13th in the league), but the PP. 

Flyers thanks for your support. Without you, this site wouldn’t exist today.

First and foremost Andrew MacDonald will be bought out, freeing up one spot. Secondly, I believe Fletcher will add a top-four defenseman as the trade deadline concludes, or at the very least in the offseason. 

The question now becomes will Shayne Gostisbehere or Radko Gudas be traded before the deadline concludes on Monday? Ghost has a cap friendly contract that will pay him $4.5 million for the next four years, so I personally wouldn’t cut ties with him. I mean he’s a guy that posted 65 points last season with that cap friendly contract. Gudas to me is the guy that most likely will be dealt. 

Realistically I could see next year’s defense looking like this:

Provy, Sanheim

xxxx, Ghost/Myers

Morin/Hagg, Ghost/Myers

Morin/Hagg

Michael thanks very much for the support. Without you, this site doesn’t exist.

I think the Flyers will be both buyers and sellers at the trade deadline. Chuck Fletcher stated over a month ago that he will approach this year’s trade deadline beyond the scope of this season. With that in mind, I think he has the capability to add a top-four defenseman and a promising young prospect at the very least. Both of which could help immediately with next season in mind, and of course this depends on what prospect the Flyers would receive from a Wayne Simmonds trade. Mark my words it’s going to be an interesting trade deadline. 

Craig thanks for your support. Without you, this site doesn’t exist. 

The Flyers will buyout Andrew MacDonald in the offseason, especially since Dale Weise was traded. It would free up a spot for Samuel Morin and Philippe Myers, but it would free the Flyers of an inconsistent defenseman. Last year he was pretty solid, this year not so much. The end is near my friend for Amac.

Kerry thanks for your support. Without you, this site doesn’t exist. 

Eeli Tolvanen is on my radar. I tweeted out last night that I personally believe Simmonds will end up in Nashville by the end of the trade deadline, and Tolvanen would be involved in the trade. Who else goes, and what else returns I don’t know. I’d be very happy with a one for one swap, and a late round pick.

The Flyers have a rich trading history with the Predators, and of course Peter Laviolette is familiar with Simmonds. Moreover, the Predators Power Play is 31st in the league with a success rate of 12.6%. This Power Play specialist in Simmonds can help right the ship on that end, and possibly propel Nashville back to the Stanley Cup. 

RC thanks for your support. Without you, this site doesn’t exist. 

If you would like to see your questions submitted in our weekly mailbag. Just submit your question on our Facebook page or on Twitter using #Flyersmail. Thanks to all the fans for another great mailbag, and Let’s go Flyers. Without your support, we wouldn’t be here today.

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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