It looks like one veteran Philadelphia Flyers defenseman is going nowhere, as reports have emerged that the team is working on a Nick Seeler contract extension ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline.
TSN’s Darren Dreger shared on the latest edition of “Insider Trading” that the Flyers are indeed trying to keep Seeler beyond this season.
“Most of the talk around the Philadelphia Flyers is on right-shot defenseman Sean Walker, but Nick Seeler has been out there from the get-go as well,” Dreger said. “However, management will confirm in Philadelphia, as will agent Pat Brisson, that they have engaged in contract extension discussions.”
This is obviously significant news in terms of Flyers trade deadline plans; both defensemen were expected to be moved for virtually the entire season, and at one point, an inquiring team reportedly asked about trading for both players at once.
Seeler is a beloved teammate, well-respected in the locker room, and adored by the Flyers’ coaching staff. It’s no surprise that Danny Briere and Co. have moved forward with trying to keep the 30-year-old on the team for the foreseeable future.
On the ice, Seeler leads the NHL in blocked shots with 168. Calgary Flames defenseman Chris Tanev, another player who is being hotly pursued on the trade market, is a close second with 162. From a Flyers perspective, this might be an instance where Seeler is more valuable to them than he is to other teams.
Seeler’s cap hit of $775k certainly makes him an attractive piece to teams looking to eat into their LTIR relief or are otherwise up against the salary cap ceiling, but was anyone willing to meet Philadelphia’s asking price?
If there was an asking price, it looks like the Flyers responded with a resounding ‘No’.
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