Claude Giroux and Gerry Mayhew weren’t the only Philadelphia Flyers to move before the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline. Chuck Fletcher dealt Justin Braun to the New York Rangers for a 2023 third-round draft pick.
We’ve heard the reports that Fletcher was holding out for a second-round pick. It would have been a fantastic haul for Braun. Ideally, Fletcher maybe could have fished for a third-round selection with a condition to become a second. The offer accepted from the Rangers is free of any asterisks, nonetheless. The Flyers do not retain salary, however.
Braun was always designed to play on the third pair in Philadelphia. He did it for one season. Since 2020-2021, he’s played outside of his element at this stage of his career. When Matt Niskanen retired, or when Ryan Ellis was sidelined, Braun filled in that needed void as the 1RD.
Previously, there were other teams reportedly interested. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes seemed interested just over a month ago. Today, there were reports that Fletcher was in discussion with the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. At 12:45ish today, Braun became the newest defenseman for the Rangers.
What Happens Next?
In sync with the 2022 NHL Trade Deadline are a ton of paper moves at the AHL level. Players will be moved down to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to ensure eligibility to play in the postseason. It won’t mean too much for the Philadelphia Flyers, who likely recall a lot of new faces for the rest of the regular season.
With Braun out of the picture, it seems Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen may remain on the right side. Does that mean Fletcher will continue to roll with Nick Seeler? Maybe Ronnie Attard or Wyatt Wylie could debut? It’ll at least be interesting to see how newly recalled players perform under Mike Yeo.
After all, that’s the most important ingredient going into next season: finding a sense of direction and a voice in the room that the team rallies around.
Verdict
The return of a 2023 third-round pick is fine. We know Fletcher wanted a second-round pick, but again, Braun was never a priority acquisition for a contender. He’s a sturdy floor on teams with sky-high ceilings. We valued him a lot more on the Philadelphia Flyers because of the current state of our defense. This seems like a push of a trade where there isn’t a real winner; the New York Rangers are buzzing without Braun, but the 2023 third-round pick has the opportunity to be valuable if the Flyers hit their pick.
(Photo Credit: Alex McIntyre)
