Sitting atop the priority list this offseason for the Philadelphia Flyers is acquiring a veteran defenseman that can pair with Ivan Provorov. Chuck Fletcher has expressed interest in acquiring just that type of defenseman earlier in the offseason, and names are flying around various social mediums.
The Flyers have a few options when it comes to acquiring a defenseman this offseason. There are a few intriguing options set to hit the free agent market come July. This year’s draft doesn’t have that type of defenseman that could come in and be a top-pairing blueliner right away. Aside from free agency, the Flyers may venture down the trade route and see which teams could be ripe for the picking.
There are a handful of teams in the NHL that are going to be looking to unload some cap to make room for their own free agents. Teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning will be looking to shed some cap to sign a young star. Others like the Colorado Avalanche and the Calgary Flames have a plethora of options on the blue line, with more coming up the pipeline. Either of those types of teams could be ideal trade partners for the Flyers if they’re seeking to unload a defenseman.
It’s time to break down a few teams in a precarious position, and who they have to offer the Flyers if a trade were to come to fruition.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are going to have a hard go of things when the offseason hits. According to CapFriendly, Toronto has a little under 9 million dollars to play with, but are looking to re-sign Mitch Marner, who could command more than what they have left.
Enter the Flyers.
If Toronto needs to unload some cap space, they may look to do it along the blue line. Jake Muzzin would be a great option for the Flyers to go after. He has one year remaining on a very friendly $4 million contract. If Muzzin is untouchable, the Flyers may look to pursue Nikita Zaitsev. Zaitsev has a bit more term on his deal, sitting at 5 years, but is making only $500,000 more than Muzzin. He may command more in return because of the term remaining on his deal, but Zaitsev would be a great blueliner for the Flyers and the position they’re in.
Vegas Golden Knights
Enter year three, and the Golden Knights are already hard up against the cap. They have many names they need to re-sign, including William Karlsson, Nikita Gusev, and they will need someone to backup Marc-Andre Fleury. If the Fletcher is looking to snag a bargain, Vegas would be the place to go.
Vegas has a very intriguing name on the blue line that could really benefit the Flyers. Colin Miller is a young up and comer who could be a great bargain at $3.875 million over the next three years. With 99 points in 250 NHL games, Fletcher would get that “veteran” top 4 guy and spend a fraction of what he may if he decides to sign one through free agency.
Edmonton Oilers
This may be a bit of a reach, but with a new regime, comes changes. Edmonton just went through an organizational overhaul, and the new head coach and general manager will be looking to put their stamp on the Oiler franchise by bringing in people who fit their vision for the team. That means that some current players may find themselves having fallen out of favor in Edmonton.
Take, for instance, Oscar Klefbom. Klefbom isn’t the flashiest defenseman, and he won’t put up a ton of points. However, with Sanheim and Gostisbehere on the blue line, points will be taken care of. Klefbom could be that solid stay-at-home defenseman that provides a sound option to lock down the defensive zone. At $4.17 million for the next 4 years as well, it could be difficult for the Edmonton’s new regime to want to invest that much into him if they don’t think he will figure into their future.
If Klefbom is part of Edmonton’s future, then it’s worth kicking the tires on Darnell Nurse, who has 1 year remaining on a $3.2 million deal. Nurse may very well end up a rental at next year’s deadline anyway, so why not pick him up during the offseason, and get the inside track to extend him if he plays up to his potential? It’s a low-risk move considering Nurse’s cap hit, and he likely won’t command a huge return either.
Nashville Predators
The Preds present a very interesting proposition. It’s no secret that they are flush with talent on the blue line, but it also is no secret that they are looking to unload some cap this offseason. P.K. Subban’s name has been circling the rumor mill as of late, and he would be a phenomenal option for the Flyers if they wanted a perfect compliment to Provorov on the top pairing. With his $9 million cap hit, it’s expensive, but could be worth it depending on what Nashville asks for in return.
If Subban isn’t your cup of tea, Mattias Ekholm would be a fantastic consolation prize. Ekholm has 3 years left on a deal that would pay him $3.75 million per year. With his points totals climbing every year, Ekholm could very well be developing into that top 4 pairing defenseman the Flyers are searching for. Again, depending on the asking price, it may behoove Chuck Fletcher to inquire about Ekholm during or after the NHL draft in June.
There’s plenty of other names out there that could be realistic when talking about trades. Jacob Trouba is an obvious target if Winnipeg is open for business. Trading for his rights may be the best route, depending on what his next contract may look like.
This is all pure speculation at this point, but the names on this list make sense for a various amount of reasons. Many come with a low price tag, and some with term left on their deals, giving the Flyers a few years to plan out what their blue line may look like in 3-5 years.
Chucky-Two-Trades has some homework to do before the draft, and I’m sure he’s doing his due diligence on how to acquire exactly what he wants. Time will tell, but acquiring a defenseman via trade may be the smartest move he can make, considering how much he could potentially overpay in free agency.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
