JVR remains with Flyers! Patrick Brown dealt to Sens

The Philadelphia Flyers made two minor-moves at Friday’s trade deadline, but this was their biggest news: They were unable to move pending free-agent James van Riemsdyk.

For a floundering franchise that needs all the draft picks and prospects it can get, it was a major failure.

Philly reportedly had a deal with Detroit for JVR, but the trade fell through. Fletcher wouldn’t say what team was involved, but that he had a “conditional deal” a little over an hour before the 3 p.m. deadline. That club, however, had to first trade one of its forwards.

“It made sense from that standpoint, but all along, it was conditional on the other trade going through,” Fletcher said.

The team was unable to make the “other” deal, so the trade with the Flyers didn’t happen.

Fletcher would have even taken a fourth-rounder for JVR. He would have absorbed half of his $7 million cap hit, and even taken on another contract.

No one bit.

He said he “actively tried” to trade van Riemsdyk because he wanted a draft pick, and he also wanted to enable the veteran to play for a contender.

“I can’t control that end of it,” Fletcher said of other teams’ lack of interest in a power-play specialist who has nearly 300 career goals.

Seattle, coached by former Flyers bench boss Dave Hakstol, was reportedly in the late running for van Riemsdyk, but nothing materialized. He scored his last goal against the Kraken.

Fletcher seemed stunned that he had no takers.

Fletcher on failing to deal JVR. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/mnZbdX6rEc

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 3, 2023

“I didn’t know what the market would be, but I at least thought there would be some offers that we would have to consider or not consider,” he said. “… But the market spoke.”

He said JVR would be a “good mentor down the stretch” for the younger Flyers.

2 minor deals

In their first move of the day, the Flyers sent Zack MacEwen to Los Angeles for Brendan Lemieux and a fifth-rounder in 2024.

Later, the Flyers dealt fourth-line center Patrick Brown to Ottawa for a sixth-rounder in June.  He joins former Flyers Claude Giroux, Derick Brassard, and Cam Talbot with the Senators.

Brown, 30, who is solid in the faceoff circle, figures to be used on the Senators’ penalty kill. He had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 43 games with the Flyers this season.

More Fletcher on Not dealing JVR. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/kiLy0mZuAo

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 3, 2023

Stunning development

But not getting anything in return for van Riemsdyk was the most stunning Flyers development of the day. He had been highly listed on most national trade charts.

He missed Saturday’s 7-0 loss in New Jersey because he was banged up.  Van Riemsdyk insisted it was “something minor,” and then played — and was nondescript — in Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

Fletcher said Van Riemsdyk is healthy, and the inability to trade him had “nothing to do” with medical issues.

Van Riemsdyk, 33, has nine goals and 23 points in 41 games this season. He has had two stints with the Philadelphia Flyers, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2007, behind Patrick Kane (Chicago).

The Central Jersey native has struggled lately, collecting just one goal over his last 12 games.

In his career with the Flyers, he has 143 goals and 291 points in 506 games. His best seasons were with Toronto, where he played for six years and had seasons of 30, 27, 29, and 36 goals.

Overall, van Riemsdyk has 297 goals and 585 points. He has had six seasons of 20-plus goals. He is the fifth-leading scorer from the Class of ’07, behind only Kane, Jamie Benn, Max Pacioretty, and Logan Couture.

Van Riemsdyk is a pending UFA this summer. The Flyers were willing to bend to get a draft pick or a prospect for him.

But no matter how much Fletcher tried, he couldn’t get a deal done.

Flyers Deal Zack MacEwen to LA Kings