Elliotte Friedman recently noted on the 32 Thoughts Podcast that he thinks the Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Ivan Provorov have finally decided that the “mutual frustration” in the relationship is too much and that it’s time to explore a trade. His name has apparently come up in trade discussions and Friedman said he has heard of conversations where Provorov’s name was discussed in a future deal ahead of this year’s NHL Trade Deadline.
Provorov is not a rental. With two more seasons after this one, his $6.75 million cap hit is not going to be easy for just any team to absorb. The Flyers will likely have to find a taker with a team that needs a solid blueliner and then potentially eat some of the salary to make the deal work. The Flyers might be willing to do so as Friedman notes both sides may be ready to part ways and the realization that it just hasn’t worked out for Provorov in Philly may speed up the process of a deal.
That said, The Fourth Period is reporting , nothing is imminent. They write, “Reaching out to those close to Provorov and the Flyers, it is unclear if he has formally requested a trade.” Their report adds that the original plan wasn’t to trade the defenseman, even after they spent more money on their blue line by adding Travis Sanheim’s $50 million extension to the books. However, another losing season has changed the narrative and had its effects. They write, “both sides may be looking for greener pastures.”
The Flyers Offloading a Few Names
If Provorov is being dangled in trade, he’s not alone. Kevin Hayes is still a player the Flyers are trying to move and there’s also talk that Travis Konecny could be traded. The Fourth Period got into more detail on those rumors and noted, “After asking around about this, I don’t get the sense the Flyers are in a hurry to move Konecny, given how well he’s played under Tortorella.” That said, they note he is not untouchable and if a strong offer was made the Flyers would likely accept.
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