The Philadelphia Flyers are just trying to stay afloat in the playoff race. With the Flyers out of a playoff seed by 7 points, and the team sitting with a record of 29-26-7. Chuck Fletcher knew he had to make one or two moves beyond the scope of this season.
With the Flyers trailing the last wild card spot by 7 points, and 8 points away from the third spot in the Division. One would believe that the orange and black would have a fire sale before the trade deadline ended yesterday. Well, it was anything but on trade deadline day, however Fletcher did trade the heart and soul of the Flyers in Wayne Simmonds to the Nashville Predators. In return the Flyers received Ryan Hartman, and a fourth-round pick that can turn into a 3rd round pick if Nashville wins a Playoff round. So just who is Ryan Hartman?
Hartman is a 24 year-old Winger that hails from Hilton Head Island, SC, and was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2013 NHL Draft. He is a hard skater that plays the game to his advantage. Hartman won’t kill you with this Offensive proweress, but he will draw a penalty or two. As a matter of fact he’s an artist at drawing penalties.
This young man in Hartman will take a beating to score a dirty goal. He knows where to be, and he can make his linemates better. For the season, Hartman has tallied 10 goals, and 10 assists for 20 points in 64 games played. Make no mistake about it this kid can hit the net with accuracy.
One downfall to Hartman’s game is he gets out muscled along the boards. This is an area of his game that he has been trying to improve for the past few seasons. Maybe he will find his niche here in Philadelphia with a change of scenery. However, one area of his game that he isn’t afraid to do is sticking up for his teammates. Hartman will drop the gloves if he has to. He’s a smart hockey player, and knows when the time is right to drop the mits.
Will Hartman end up being like Simmonds? Who knows, but he is a younger version of Simmonds. Simmonds maybe more Offensively gifted, especially on the Power Play. However, Hartman does provide some toughness, and with his ability to draw penalties. This should give a boost to the top Power Play unit of the orange and black.
It’s never easy to replace the heartbeat of lineup like Simmonds was. Unfortunately, we have no other choice as this is part of the business. Let’s give Hartman a shot, let’s see what he can do before draw a conclusion on him. He may surprise us in the end. One thing is certain Flyers fans, the future is bright in Flyer land.
Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports
