For teams looking at adding depth to their blue line and a player with a ton of playoff experience, Justin Braun of the Philadelphia Flyers makes a lot of sense. It should come as no surprise that the defenseman is of interest to at least six teams ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline and one insider reports the Flyers are preparing to move him.
Pierre LeBrun of TSN says the Flyers will deal Braun and have heard from about half-a-dozen teams already. Among them, the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs kicked tires and others see Braun as a Plan B (maybe even Plan C) type of non-flashy addition that is both affordable and reliable. With 100 career playoff games on his resume, it’s easy to understand why.
Braun, 35, carries a $1.8 million salary-cap hit for the remainder of the season but is a pending UFA. He’d be purely a rental for a franchise and shouldn’t cost a lot to acquire. That said, he might cost more than what Ilya Lyubushkin cost the Maple Leafs if GM Kyle Dubas chose the Arizona defenseman over the Flyers one.
Braun Is Exactly The Type of Player Who Gets Trade This Time of Season
Braun is a good defensive defenseman and he’s a solid partner in a bottom pairing for a contending team. He can play special teams, has loads of playoff experience, and an expiring contract. He’s exactly the kind of player teams look for as a sneaky deadline add that could turn out to be a bit of a difference-maker.
While the Flyers haven’t been very good this season, Braun is playing a top-four role with the team. He can play 20 minutes per game, but in a more limited and selective role, he could be quite productive.
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