PhHN Daily: Flyers Practice Notes; Gavin McKenna Mess; Panarin Finally Traded

On the 2/5 edition of the PhHN Daily, we talk about the latest Flyers practice, a pair of trades, a suspension, and one of the biggest hockey stories this year.

Let’s take a brief side note to talk about the team that shares an arena with the Flyers: the Philadelphia 76ers. What on earth was Darly Morey thinking, trading Jared McCain for a first and three thirds? He was an injury away from being a Rookie of the Year last season. Now, he’s being traded as a salary dump? What on earth is the thought process behind that? We can only hope that that is a smaller move leading to a bigger move, but it certainly does not feel that way.

Now, getting back to hockey.

The roster freeze is officially here, meaning rosters are set. A pair of trades were made just before the freeze went into action.

Get it all and more on the 2/5 edition of the PhHN Daily.

Philadelphia Flyers practice

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Flyers held a brief but effective practice at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, New Jersey. Practice followed the team’s 4-2 win vs. the Washington Capitals, as the Flyers look to carry momentum into the break.

Travis Konecny (maintenance) and Sam Ersson (lower-body) were the only absences at practice.

As for the lines, they were similar to those from Monday’s practice. With Konecny out, it was harder to really gauge what they were, as the Flyers jumbled the forwards. Defensivley, the pairs remained the same, with Emil Andrae rotating in with Nick Seeler.

Head coach Rick Tocchet said he wanted to get Andrae into a game before the break. On Monday, he said the left-right pair was more important. On Wednesday, it sounded like Tocchet is wary about losing a penalty-killer in Noah Juulsen by putting Andrae in the lineup. It is worth keeping an eye on.

As for the practice itself, well, it was a good one. The team knows it, too. Afterward, in the locker room, several players came in and commented on how good Wednesday’s practice was.

So, a big win followed by a good practice. The Flyers have the chance to go into the break on a high note following their game on Thursday.

NHL rumors & news

Onward State: We’ve got a mess in Hockey Valley. Presumed top draft pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Gavin McKenna, was in headlines on Wednesday night, after charges were filed against the 18-year-old, who now faces felony aggravated assault charges. Student-run journalism was all over it.

This story is absolutely nuts. Reportedly, the team was at Doggies Pub for a friends-and-family event after the outdoor game on January 31st. Here is what one of the most trusted college hockey reporters had to say:

This has become quite the odd situation, leading to an eventful Wednesday night. What do you make of this?

Now to the NHL.

Forever Blueshirts: Artemi Panarin is on the move, being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a prospect and draft picks. The biggest trade chip at the deadline has officially been moved. The trade market will open once the roster freeze ends on February 22nd.

Now, Jim Cerny looks at some of the big takeaways from the Artemi Panarin trade, including the Rangers’ leverage, analyzing the return, looking at the big picture, and what comes next.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The nightmare continues for Caleb Jones. His NHL season was halted early, and he was injured during his rehab game. Now, Jones faces a 20-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The nightmare continues.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Artemi Panarin was not the only player to get traded on Wednesday. The New Jersey Devils made a move, acquiring a center, filling some of the cap space freed by trading Ondrej Palat. In a deal with the St. Louis Blues, the Devils acquired depth center Nick Bjugstad.

Read More: PhHN Daily: Flyers GM Speaks; Mini Trade Deadline; Latest on Panarin