The Flyers made some interesting choices heading into the roster freeze and ultimately the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Not only did they add defenseman Ryan Ellis in a trade from the Nashville Predators, but the team left forward Jakub Voracek and James van Riemsdyk exposed for selection.
As per the Seattle Kraken’s official website, the Flyers team list heading into the draft is as follows:
PROTECTED LIST
Forwards (7): Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Sean Couturier, Claude Giroux, Kevin Hayes, Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny, Oskar Lindblom
Defensemen (3): Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Ryan Ellis
Goaltender (1); Carter Hart
AVAILABLE
Forwards: Jakub Voracek, James van Riemsdyk
Defensemen: Justin Braun, Robert Hagg, Shayne Gostisbehere
Goalies:
What’s Next for the Flyers?
The team is bound to lose a decent player, but one that also might have a sizeable cap hit. If Seattle selects Voracek, van Riemsdyk or Gostisbehere, that will give the Flyers a lot more cap flexibility, which is a good thing for a team that wants to keep adding this offseason.
Adam Kimelman of NHL.com quotes Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher who noted the team will look to make more moves after landing Ellis via trade. Fletcher said: “We’re certainly going to continue to look at every avenue to get better. We weren’t good enough last year. Ryan Ellis is an upgrade, he’s a step in the right direction. … We’ll do what we can to upgrade in the areas we can.” According to Anthony Mingioni, Ellis had been on the Flyers radar for a while.
The focus for the Flyers, according to Bill Meltzer is lowering the goals against and that means potentially targeting another defenseman, potentially a stay-at-home style blueliner. There’s been chatter the Flyers might be looking at pending UFA Adam Larsson from the Edmonton Oilers. It’s believed a team might be willing to go 5 years x $5 million for Larsson. That said, the help doesn’t have to come from a defenseman and adding Ellis might have taken the Flyers out of the running for Larsson, especially if there’s any truth to the idea they plan to reach out to either Seth Jones or Dougie Hamilton.
Neal McHale believes the Ellis contract for six more years at $6.25 million takes them out of the Jones and Hamilton race, but Meltzer wonders if the Flyers are looking at players like Montreal Canadiens pending UFA Phillip Danault or Toronto Maple Leafs Alex Kerfoot.
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