Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Trade Provorov; Carter Hart Trade Talks Under Way?
The Flyers announced the Ivan Provorov trade to the Blue Jackets moments ago. The Flyers, reportedly, are working on a deal for goalie Carter Hart.
The Fourth Period reported that the Flyers are working on a trade for Hart, their 24-year-old goaltender. General manager Daniel Briere said recently he would listen to trade scenarios involving Hart. Apparently, right now, any Hart trade is in the talking stages.
Briere will be speaking at about 5:15 p.m. and we’ll have an update on what he has to say.
The Provorov trade is part of a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Kings.
The Flyers received, per the team:
- The Blue Jackets’ No. 1 pick, 22nd overall, acquired from the Kings during the season.
- The Kings’ second-round pick in 2024.
- Kings prospect defenseman Helge Grans.
- Goalie Cal Petersen.
- Defenseman Sean Walker.
- A conditional second-round pick from Columbus, in either 2024 or 2025.
The Kings retained 30 percent of Provorov’s contract. Los Angeles announced it acquired veteran defenseman Kevin Connauton and forward Hayden Hodgson from the Flyers.
Provorov, 26, was the Flyers’ seventh overall pick in 2015. This past season, he scored six goals and 27 assists in 82 games. He was a minus-17. He played seven seasons with the Flyers.
For a team in an admitted rebuild, the Flyers have stockpiled some draft choices. They now have two first-round picks in this year’s draft — No. 7 and 22. The Flyers have eight other picks in the draft — two third-rounders, two fourth-rounders, one pick in the fifth round, two in the sixth round and one in the seventh round.
Petersen, 28, has been a back-up goalie in his five seasons with the Kings. He’s played 101 games and started 94 games. His record is 44-42-10 with a .905 save percentage and a 2.92 goals-against average. He was a fifth-round pick by the Sabres in 2013.
Walker, 28, played 70 games for the Kings this season. He had 3 goals and 10 assists. He signed as a free agent with the Kings in 2018.
Grans, 21, was the 35th overall pick by the Kings in 2020. The Swedish defenseman, a right-hand shot, played 59 games this season with the AHL’s Ontario Reign. He is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and is known for his skating ability. He had nine goals and 24 assists in 115 games with the Reign the last two seasons.
I was not particularly in favor of trading Provorov because of his skill, resilience, and durability, and because I don’t see the Flyers having anyone to replace him. However, Briere did well in obtaining a solid return. The first-round pick and two second rounders builds our draft capital well. I don’t know much about Sean Walker, but he may help replace what was given up. The goalie Petersen puzzles me; his numbers aren’t terrible but he’s not a #1 goalie. It’s a salary dump for LA so maybe the Flyers will flip him for something else later. Getting the Kings to retain 30% of Provorov’s salary was another good aspect; in the past we would have just retained it.
Their apparent willingness to trade Hart is strange. We finally have a top-notch goalie and he’s still young. It makes me wonder if there is something behind the scenes that we don’t know about. Has he voiced impatience with rebuilding? Do they anticipate having to give him a huge contract when he hits free agency? This may be unfair speculation, but is there more to the Team Canada sexual abuse incident? Hart says through his attorney that he wasn’t involved but this crossed my mind when the trade talk started.
It looks like Briere will be active this summer and I will hope for more good moves.
Trading Provorov was shocking but not surprising. If you’re going to rebuild, rebuild. It’s going to take trading away assets to get assets. Carter Hart is another story. I don’t think they will trade him, but if the Flyers are serious about a rebuild, they might make the deal.
I just posted an analysis of the Provorov trade. Let me know what you think.
Thanks for your comments.
CB