Instant analysis: Why did the Flyers and Stars swap forwards?

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The NHL Draft may be in the books, but the Flyers aren’t finished just yet. It was announced on Monday afternoon that Philadelphia has traded for Dallas Stars center Tyler Pitlick. In exchange for the veteran center, the Flyers trade forward Ryan Hartman.

Pitlick was originally a second-round pick back in 2010 and has gone on to carve quite the career. After spending time with Edmonton, the 6’2, 200 lbs, center joined Dallas and became a reliable option in six playoff games, helping the Stars push their way into the second round of the Stanley Cup Finals.

“Tyler is a hard-working, versatile player who will bring speed, energy and a competitive edge to our team,” said Chuck Fletcher in making the announcement.

As for Hartman, he played in 19 games for the Flyers after being acquired in the trade that sent Wayne Simmonds to Nashville. The trade itself is interesting, given that the Flyers traded a cornerstone of their franchise away for a player who is now already on the move, but a lot has changed in that time. But the logistics of that move all centered around the cap, as does this one.

The Flyers signed Travis Sanheim to a 2-year deal earlier today and still have several other contract moves to navigate through, including both Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny. It’s entirely possible that Hartman was asking for a pretty penny when the team need to invest that elsewhere.

We’ve already seen a complete change of heart from the top-down and if Pitlick ($1M) costs around half of what Hartman would, then it makes a lot of sense.

The Flyers continue to navigate the salary cap whirlwind very smartly, with a focus on bang-for-your-buck veterans while retaining a young core to nurture. This move is only a further embodiment of that.

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports