Danny Briere has spent no time getting the ball rolling on conducting business before the trade deadline, having stated in his mid-season check-in press conference that the Flyers were “focusing on the future”.
This past week, young forward Owen Tippett signed an eight-year, $49.2 million contract extension, guaranteeing his long-term future with Philadelphia. Ryan Poehling quickly followed suit, signing a two-year deal.
But what about players who might be leaving?
Veteran defenseman Sean Walker is one name that Flyers fans do not expect to see at the end of the season in orange and black. Walker joined the Philadelphia Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings in a three-way transaction that also included the Columbus Blue Jackets, and he has been playing well by all accounts since his arrival. In 48 games with the Flyers, he has five goals and 12 helpers, matching his career high.
However, on January 23, NHL insider Frank Seravalli stated on The Kevin Karius Show that the Flyers did want to sell, and that they would be “selling off pieces, starting with Sean Walker.”
Briere has especially identified Walker, along with fellow veteran defenseman Nick Seeler, as part of the more experienced group of players who have contributed to the Flyers’ surprise success this season, adding, “[Seeler] is a crucial element, he performed terrific. He’s popular among his teammates. Part of the reason for our success. I should have named him Sean Walker.
The drawback would be that the Lightning aren’t exactly loaded with picks, nor do they have a plethora of prospects the Flyers would be interested in, considering their own stacked pool of prospects and young players.
With just over a month until the March 8 trade deadline and a desire to get the Flyers back on track with a team that can carry them to the “sustained success” Briere spoke about in his mid-season press, conference, Flyers fans can be certain that they’ll be in for quite a busy couple of weeks.
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