It can be argued that it’s better to get back something instead of nothing, which is what the Philadelphia Flyers and GM Daniel Briere did in a minor trade with the Edmonton Oilers on Monday. Philly sent out right-handed defenseman Ronnie Attard for left-handed blueliner, Ben Gleason, in a 1-for-1 player swap.
Flyers make a trade with the Oilers
With Emil Andrae playing well thus far in his short NHL this season, Philadelphia was in a position to decide Attard’s status on Broad Street with no playing time available for the third-round pick from the 2019 NHL draft.
Ronnie Attard, 26, was out of player option to return to Lehigh Valley in the AHL without passing through NHL waivers allowing any team that wanted to give him a shot a free opportunity to claim him. Coming into this season, Attard was expected to push for a spot on the Flyers bench as a 7th (or 8th) defenseman, but a woeful preseason performance ended his time in Philly.
Therefore, Flyers’ GM Daniel Briere found a dance partner to give Attard another NHL opportunity. Edmonton lost a key right-handed defenseman to an offer sheet when Philip Broberg joined St. Louis this offseason. It is conceivable for Attard to get a look with the Oilers still figuring things out after a 6-6-1 start to the season.
Ben Gleason, 26, is a player that should provide value to the Phantom’s roster this season. An AHL regular since the 2018-19 season, Gleason has averaged 66 games with 9 goals and 27 assists over the last three seasons in the minor leagues. Gleason appeared in four games for the Dallas Stars in 2018-19. He was signed by Edmonton last offseason on a two-year contract and should be headed for free agency at the end of the season.
Photo Credit: Haley Taylor-Simon
