Philadelphia Flyers Defensive Challenges
As the Philadelphia Flyers gear up for the current NHL season, they find themselves without two key defensemen. Cam York is nursing a lower-body injury and is expected to sit out the first three games of the season. In addition, Rasmus Ristolainen is still in recovery mode following surgery in April to mend a ruptured triceps tendon.
Exploring Trade Options
On October 7, sports commentator Elliotte Friedman from Sportsnet shared insights indicating that the Flyers are actively exploring defensive options available through trade, although he cautions that significant transactions are unlikely at this stage of the season.
With over $6.6 million in salary cap space thanks to a recent trade that sent Ryan Ellis, a defenseman unable to continue playing, to the San Jose Sharks, the Flyers are in a position to strengthen their roster. Anthony Di Marco from Daily Faceoff announced that there are expectations of utilizing this financial breathing room to enhance their defensive lineup.
Potential Trade Targets
Jonathan Bailey from The Hockey News expressed skepticism regarding the Flyers trading for an older, less defensively robust player. Both he and Di Marco believe that if the Flyers do make a deal, it will be for a more impactful asset.
Di Marco mentioned that the organization had previously shown interest in Bowen Byram before his recent two-year extension with the Buffalo Sabres, speculating whether they might renew that interest, potentially offering winger Owen Tippett and young defenseman Emil Andrae as part of a trade package. However, Bailey countered that he doesn’t view Byram as the kind of defensive anchor the Flyers desperately need.
He also pointed out that other players like Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars and Philip Broberg of the St. Louis Blues will become restricted free agents next summer, likely seeking substantial raises, although he doubts their availability. Furthermore, he ruled out the possibility of the New Jersey Devils trading Simon Nemec to a rival team like the Flyers.
Calgary Flames Trade Rumors
Meanwhile, north in Calgary, rumors are swirling around Flames center Nazem Kadri, who has often been at the center of trade talks over the last couple of years, given the Flames’ current retooling phase. Kadri has made it clear that he enjoys living in Calgary and has no intention of demanding a trade. However, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger on a recent episode of the Flames Nation’s Barn Burner podcast, should the Flames fall out of playoff contention by the March 6 deadline, they may consider trading Kadri. Any move could be postponed until the off-season when his full no-movement clause transitions to a limited no-trade list.
Logan Cooley’s Contract Situation
In another interesting development, the Utah Mammoth are facing a notable scenario with Logan Cooley, who has reportedly declined an eight-year contract extension valued at an average of $9.6 million, which would have made him their top-paid player. At just 21 years old and in the final year of his entry-level contract, Cooley is centering the Mammoth’s top line and may be biding his time to capitalize on the upcoming salary cap increases, potentially aiming for a deal around $11 million.
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