If there were any questions regarding the Philadelphia Flyers’ rebuilding status, GM Daniel Briere answered them loud and clear on Friday afternoon. At the 2024-25 NHL trade deadline, the Flyers completed three trades. Scott Laughton, Andrei Kuzmenko, and Erik Johnson departed the Flyers family for NHL locations in Toronto, Los Angeles, and Colorado while returning a variety of draft picks and prospects. Here are the trade grades for Philadelphia as the dust settles following an active trade deadline in the NHL.
Scott Laughton Heads Home to Toronto
Trade: Nikita Grebenkin and a 2027 first-round pick (top 10 protected) from the Toronto Maple Leafs for Scott Laughton (50% of contract retained salary), a 2025 fourth-round draft choice, and a 2027 sixth-round selection.
Grade: B+
For over two years, Scott Laughton’s name has floated around the rumor mill as leaving Philadelphia. The smoke finally produced fire this season as the 30-year-old veteran heads home to the Greater Toronto Area to play for his hometown Leafs. “It’s tough to let him go,” Briere said after the deadline. “The return was amazing. And on top of it, giving him the chance to go play for his hometown team I think is pretty cool.” Laughton leaves the City of Brotherly Love after 265 points in 661 games. He added 10 points over 24 playoff games during his 12-year stay in Philadelphia. Laughton has one year remaining on his current contract, and the Flyers will pay half, or $1.5 million, next season.
The “amazing return” Daniel Briere references is a 21-year-old wing prospect, Nikita Grebenkin, and the highly-coveted first-round draft selection that the Flyers GM required in any deal for Laughton. Instead of an additional draft pick, Flyers scouts pushed for including forward Grebenkin from Toronto. “Our guys were high on him,” Briere said. “We got excited when his name started being mentioned as a possibility. So yeah, he was definitely a target for us. They valued him at more than a third-round pick. So that’s how this one got done.”
According to Neutral Zone’s scouting report, Grebenkin is a “skilled, dynamic forward with excellent vision and hands.” As with many young NHL prospects, Nikita must get bigger and stronger to compete at the NHL level full-time. “We certainly see him as a future Flyer,” Briere said of their newest prospect.
Grebenkin will start his Philadelphia tenure with the Lehigh Valley Phantom in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Russian forward contributed 21 points in 39 games this season for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, his first season in North America. Grebenkin earned a call-up to the Toronto Maple Leafs in late November and did not earn any points over a seven-game audition in the NHL.
The s 2027 first-round selection from Toronto can be a helpful asset in Philadelphia’s rebuilding efforts. The Flyers own six first-round selections over the next three NHL drafts, including three in the upcoming 2025 draft. “For us, it wasn’t a problem to push it out that way (to a later draft),” Briere said. “Those first-round picks… they’re so valuable. To me, it doesn’t really matter, even if it’s pushed out a year or two. They are valuable and a huge asset to have moving forward.”
Andrei Kuzmenko Travels Back to the Western Conference
Trade: Philadelphia Flyers acquire a 2027 third-round pick from the Los Angeles Kings for Andrei Kuzmenko (50% of contract retained)
Grade: A
Briere gets high marks for turning seven games of Andrei Kuzmenko into a third-round choice in the 2027 draft. While showing flashes of brilliance during his short time in Philly, the reality of Kuzmenko’s inflated $5.5 million contract most likely meant the Russian forward would be testing free agency this offseason. With 140 points over 197 NHL games, Kuzmenko might find it difficult to match (or exceed) that contract this offseason, even with a rising NHL cap.
Briere did not enter NHL trade deadline day intending to trade the winger. “To be honest with you, Kuzmenko kind of came out of the blue today,” Briere told the media. “That just made sense. It’s not like we were shopping him, but he’s an unrestricted free agent. There’s a need and a fit in LA and it kind of worked for us as well. So that one got done pretty quick.”
The $2.75 million salary Philly retains in the deal helps Los Angeles this season. Since Kuzmenko’s contract expires at the end of the season, the retained salary spot will become available once again at the start of the new league year in the offseason.
Erik Johnson Returns to Colorado
Trade: Philadelphia Flyers acquire Givani Smith for Erik Johnson
Grade: C
Daniel Briere gets an A+ for being a good human and sending former teammate Erik Johnson back to Colorado for a chance to earn a championship ring. The NHL veteran spent 13 seasons with the Avalanche between 2010 and 2022, including a Stanley Cup Championship in 2021-22, where he played in 20 games in the NHL’s postseason gauntlet before hoisting the heavy silver trophy above his head.
“It’s more of a favor to him to give him a chance to go chase the cup in a place he played a lot of years and where he still has lots of friends,” Briere said. “It’s not something we were really looking forward to do. It was more for him. To give the chance to chase it one more time or maybe more.”
In exchange for Johnson, Philadelphia received forward Givani Smith. The 27-year-old forward has played 168 NHL games over a six-year NHL career, including 13 games split between San Jose and Colorado this season. The 6-foot-2 forward has accrued over 150+ games of experience at the AHL level and will report to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Ristoalinen Remains with Flyers
No Trade: Philadelphia Flyers retain the services of Rasmus Ristolainen
Grade: A
Sometimes, the best trades are the ones that are not made. That is the case with Rasmus Ristolainen continuing to patrol the blueline for the Flyers this season. While listening to offers, Briere indicated that teams were unwilling to meet the Flyers’ price for the Finnish blueliner.
“We feel that if we traded him out of our top six, or you could say our top four, it would leave a huge hole,” Briere said.” That’s why we never considered anything serious. Teams weren’t able to pay what we felt the return is on him of us.”
Ristolainen is in the third year of a five-year contract extension signed with Philly in March 2022. His current deal expires following the 2026-27 NHL season.
Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
