NEWSLETTER
Yeah, the Stanley Cup Final is currently in progress. And yes, the new president of hockey operations for the Philadelphia Flyers, Keith Jones, is still working the broadcasts for Turner. But that apparently hasn’t kept his general manager, Danny Brière, from starting this summer’s blockbuster trade season with a big-time deal.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Flyers consummated a three-team trade involving the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus had been rumored to be in the market for a defenseman, and it appears they’re acquiring one: Ivan Provorov from Philly.
Here’s the official details from the Columbus release:
Philadelphia trades Ivan Provorov and Hayden Hodgson to Los Angeles in exchange for Cal Peterson, Sean Walker, Helge Grans and the Kings’ 2024 second-round pick. Columbus acquires Kevin Connauton from Philadelphia in exchange for a 2023 first-round pick (22nd overall) and conditional second-round pick in either the 2024 or 2025 NHL Draft. Columbus acquires Provorov from Los Angeles in exchange for Connauton.
The Kings are eating 30 percent of Provorov’s cap hit.
Grans, 21, is a 6-4 right-handed defenseman who was a second-round pick in 2020.
Los Angeles is looking to move out salary in an effort to sign pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov. Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period has reported the two sides have discussed a two- or three-year deal. The Kings acquired Gavrikov from Columbus in a three-team deal before the deadline that also saw goaltender Joonas Korpisalo head to LA, goaltender Jonathan Quick end up in Vegas and LA give up a first-round pick in the 2023 draft (the one heading to Philly in this trade) and a third-round pick in the 2024 draft.
Provorov, 26, has two years remaining on a contract that carries a $6.75 million AAV. Petersen, 28, has two years remaining on a three-year contract that carries a $5 million AAV. Walker, 28, has one year remaining on a contract that carries a $2.65 million AAV.
It sounds like Philadelphia isn’t done moving big names/contract, either…
Blackhawks Impact?
I’ll come back and update this when we get the complete details, but if Philly is indeed acquiring the 22nd overall pick in the draft that’s a strong indication they’re in the market to take on contracts to accelerate their rebuild — like the Blackhawks did last year. I’m not sure there’s a fit between Chicago and Philadelphia to make a trade.
