A team that just won the Stanley Cup two years ago is making it known they want to go for it again.
On Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche acquired defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Going back to Philadelphia is forward Ryan Johansen and a conditional 2025 first-round pick. The first-round pick is top-10 protected. This means if Colorado gets a top-10 pick in next year’s NHL Draft, the first-round pick to the Avs will move to 2026, and Philly will get the pick back for 2025.
It is the second time in exactly nine months that Walker was traded, as he was dealt to the Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings along with goaltender Cal Petersen, Helge Grans and a second-round pick.
It was reported weeks ago that the 29-year-old was closing in on signing an extension with the Flyers, but that narrative has changed over the last week. Walker is in the final season of a four-year deal, with an AAV of $2.65 million, that he signed with L.A. back in September 2020.
Walker had a great run in his first season in Philadelphia, scoring six goals and 16 assists in 63 games. He is just two points away from tying his career-high for points in a season, which he set during the COVID-shortened 2019-20 campaign with the Kings. He will bring depth to solid blueline Denver that features Cale Makar and Devon Toews.
Johansen was not quite working out with the Avs as many had hoped. In 63 games, the 31-year-old has 10 goals and 13 assists in his first season in Colorado. While he might surpass the number of points he set last season (28), Johansen is well off the scoring pace that earned him an eight-year contract with the Nashville Predators back in 2017.
Johansen has one more season at an $8 million cap hit. Since the Predators retained half of Johansen’s AAV when they traded him to the Avs last summer, the Flyers only were looking at $4 million on their books.
Right after making the deal, the Flyers placed Johansen on waivers.
The Avalanche (38-20-5) is sitting third in the Central Divison, four points back of the Dallas Stars for first.
The Flyers (32-23-8) are also in third, currently four points up on the fourth-place New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division, 12 behind the New York Rangers for first.
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