The 2024 NHL trade deadline is on Friday, which means the Philadelphia Flyers have some important decisions to make and not a lot of time left to make them. According to a new report, the Flyers will likely keep one of Nick Seeler and Sean Walker, but not both.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli shared on X on Tuesday afternoon that “Still 3 days to go, but sounds increasingly unlikely that #Flyers will be re-signing both Sean Walker and Nick Seeler. They’ve got a good feel now on what both will cost. Meantime, they’re fielding trade offers for both and will weigh return vs. extension.
“One likely traded,” Seravalli said.
There have been some discussions about the Flyers potentially re-signing both players, but each contract negotiation has hit its own snag. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman shared in his latest “32 Thoughts” column that Seeler wants more money than the Flyers might be willing to give, while Walker wants a longer term than what the Flyers might be willing to give.
It’s worth noting that Seeler will turn 31 before the start of next season, and Walker will turn 30 one month into the 2024-25 season. It’s no secret that the two defensemen have played well together for the Flyers, but the front office is consciously weighing extending them versus what trading them will add to the organization in the future, as Seravalli reported.
Something that might further complicate things is that Seeler was injured in Monday night’s Flyers game against the St. Louis Blues. The 30-year-old did return for the start of the third period but did not take a shift in the final half of the period. Seeler was injured blocking a Colton Parayko shot off the left ankle, leaving him in considerable pain as he crawled around on the ice and spent several seconds trying (and failing) to stand up on two feet.
Which of the two players the Flyers trade is unclear, though this latest report should help quell rumors that the Flyers had turned their backs on their rebuilding process.
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