Carsen Twarynski officially selected by Seattle Kraken in Expansion Draft

Well, this is a shocker. The Seattle Kraken have officially selected forward Carsen Twarynski from the Philadelphia Flyers in the Expansion Draft.

After all of the intrigue and speculation about James van Riemsdyk and Jakub Voracek, the Kraken went completely off the board with Carsen Twarynski.

Ron Francis announces the Carsen Twarynski pick. pic.twitter.com/c9xiTTQ7l4

— Ryan Gilbert (@RGilbertSOP) July 22, 2021

Twarynski, 23, was the Flyers’ third-round pick (82nd overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. He played in 15 games in the 2019-20 season, recording just one goal, and just seven games last season without a point. Twarynski missed time last season with a lower-body injury. He is a restricted free agent this offseason.

“Ron and his group in Seattle have put a lot of time and effort into their preparation and with Carsen they have added a good, young piece to their team,” Chuck Fletcher said. “Carsen is a hard-working player who has grown considerably in his four seasons since he was drafted in our organization. We wish nothing but the best for him in Seattle.”

The ceiling for Twarynski isn’t very high, but Seattle must view his floor as a fourth-line grinder. The winger can provide energy and a bit of physicality in the bottom six.

There’s also the possibility that the Flyers have a side deal in place with Seattle. That could be leaked tonight, but the NHL roster freeze officially ends on Thursday at 1 p.m. EDT.

What’s next for Flyers?

It’s safe to say that not many people expected Twarynski to be selected by Seattle. Hell, we even only had Justin Braun and Robert Hagg as the “off the board” options. So, where do the Flyers go from here?

The Flyers still have all of their big-contract players in Voracek ($8.25 million), JVR ($7 million), and Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5 million). On top of that, they aren’t losing a player that was projected to be in the lineup on opening night. Chuck Fletcher will need to make some moves once the roster freeze lifts.

Another interesting development is the report that the Seattle Kraken are not taking Vladimir Tarasenko from the Blues. With Voracek and Tarasenko both unselected, perhaps that motivates both sides to get something done.

Gilbert: Adding Ellis only the beginning of Flyers’ big offseason moves

We’ll see what happens after tonight’s Expansion Draft. The Flyers still have some work to do this summer after making their first big splash for Ryan Ellis. There are still a few things on Fletcher’s agenda to get the Flyers back to the level they should be at as a playoff contender.

Photo: Heather Barry Images