Breaking: The NJ Devils received defenseman Sami Vatanen and a conditional third-round pick from Anaheim.
New Jersey sends forwards Adam Henrique, Joseph Blandisi and a 2018 third-round pick to the Ducks.
So the Flyers have now lost nine in a row, although they have lost five of them in OT.
The issue surrounding the Flyers right now is the defense, as they have given up a ton of goals through this stretch. But I don't get any sense that head coach Dave Hakstol is in any sort of danger at this point. General manager Ron Hextall has made it very clear he feels the team is playing hard, but just not getting the right bounces at this point.
Hakstol has had the team playing all-around better hockey than they were last season, and his move of Sean Couturier to a top-line center position has truly been a stroke of genius and revitalized Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. Besides a truly amazing season so far from Couturier, too.
However, what remains is a Flyers team lacking not only depth after the first line, but by moving Couturier into a scoring role they have essentially lost their best checking center capable of a solid two-way game. Couturier, or someone with his checking ability, is essential in the Metro Division, and as the team starts to take on more and more divisional opponents it is more than likely a move will be made. The Flyers' defensive woes are every bit as much tied to their offense being weak defensively as they are a young defense.
Enter Edmonton center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Nugent-Hopkins has really blossomed into a solid two-way forward with speed and scoring touch. He fits the Flyers perfectly, while the Flyers possess an abundance of NHL ready defensemen who are young and highly regarded.
I was told, off-the-record, about these teams discussing this two weeks ago. Now it is more in the open, and while it may not be the complete fix for two struggling teams there is definitely smoke where there is fire.
Will it get done? That is still very much up in the air...
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