Trade Deadline Week Continues but Flyers Stand Pat

The Philadelphia Flyers continue to be linked to various potential trade pieces across the NHL, but aside from the trade of Harry Zolnierczyk, the organization has refrained from making any further moves. My thoughts on some of the other trades today:

• Ryane Clowe to New York Rangers for a 2nd round pick, 3rd round pick and conditional 2nd round pick

  This one came down to the wire, as the Rangers, Flyers and Vancouver Canucks were the three finalists for the 30 year-old power forward’s services. If you take out this season, Clowe has 101 goals and 159 points in 395 games. The issue is his 0 goals and 11 points in this season. While it’s frustrating to think that the Flyers were bidding for his services, the upside is that they drove the price up for their Atlantic Division rival. Clowe will also be a free agent in the offseason, so there’s always a possibility he could be signed at that time (if it’s even necessary).

• Jaromir Jagr to the Boston Bruins for a conditional 1st round pick and two prospects

  Per Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, some of the Flyers players (most notably Scott Hartnell) lobbied for general manager Paul Holmgren to bring back his former linemate before the 41 year-old was traded. Via Sam’s tweets: “Hartnell talked at length today about how Jagr would have instant chemistry if he came back to [the] Flyers. ‘I just think his presence was especially missed- his leadership, the guy that he is around the room.’ ”

  While having Jagr this season would have certainly been “nice,” he would have taken minutes away from younger guys like Jake Voracek that needed an opportunity to grow. Voracek, at 23 years of age, has the same number of goals and more points than Jagr this season, in just one more game played. He’s close to matching his entire goal output from last season in half the games. He’s also much better defensively and has been a major reason why the Flyers’ powerplay is performing so well. So no, Hartnell, they don’t need him back.

• Robyn Regehr to the Los Angeles Kings for two 2nd round picks
• Davis Drewiske to Montreal Canadiens for a 5th round pick

  Having acquired Regehr on Monday, the Kings moved Drewiske to the Habs today to make room in the line-up. Neither Regehr nor Drewiske would have solved the Flyers’ defensive woes, as Regehr has been terrible this season and Drewiske is more suited to being a quality fifth/sixth defenseman. In general, the 2nd round pick traded for Nicklas Grossmann last season is looking like a steal compared to the prices for players this season.

• Jay Bouwmeester to the St. Louis Blues for a 1st round pick and two prospect

  Bouwmeester was the “coveted” puck-moving defenseman that the Flyers had been looking into at length, but again, the price was just steeper than they had wanted to pay for. The Flyers are often criticized for trading their picks away and not restocking the farm system. It’s more “justifiable” to move a first round pick when the selection spot is expected to be in the mid-to-late twenties, but not when the team needs to begin rebuilding.

  Possibly the most interesting aspect about this trade is that the Blues, who have the second lowest payroll in the NHL, have taken on the entirety of the Bouwmeester contract. While they will not move any of their current defensemen during the season, I do think they will at least listen to offers for RFA defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Alex Pietrangelo in the offseason. Many scoffed at the notion that the Blues could move either for Danny Briere, but they may not be able to afford both players. A package deal with the inexpensive Briere contract could be enough to pry one of them from the Blues.

• Jamie McBain to… ?

  The Carolina Hurricanes have made it known in the past 24 hours that they are open to trading defenseman Jamie McBain. McBain, 25, is on the first year of a two year, $3.6 million contract. He is a decent puck moving defenseman, having scored 8 goals and 27 points last season and 30 points the season before.  He currently plays on the Hurricanes’ third pairing, where he has performed solidly. I’m sure Holmgren has at least made the phone call.

• Mark Streit to Free Agency

  The New York Islanders have already re-signed top defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky, but their #1 defenseman has decided to explore free agency. It’s unknown whether the Islanders will move him, but considering the team is on the verge of making the playoffs for the first time in six years and has difficulty attracting free agents, they can’t realistically afford to move him. If Streit is truly available, I’d expect the Flyers to trade for his rights even before July 1 and offer him stupid money.

In other news, the Flyers have placed defenseman Kurtis Foster on waivers. It is unlikely that he will be picked up, and will report to the Adirondack Phantoms along with fellow outcast Andreas Lilja for the rest of the season (barring more injuries). On the plus side, his demotion suggests that Nicklas Grossmann, who skated in a “no-contact” jersey this morning, may be closer to returning to the line-up.