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The Philadelphia Flyers’ Trade Deadline was definitely one with surprises. Surprises in what they did do, but also by what they didn’t.
As such, there is a feeling of a created opportunity, and yet the notion of another passed up by general manager Danny Briere.
Headlining the afternoon was the trade of winger Bobby Brink to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman David Jiricek. However, the decision to not trade Rasmus Ristolainen at the potential peak of his value counterbalanced the initial excitement.
Beyond those moments, Briere also traded veteran forward Nicolas Deslauriers to the Carolina Hurricanes. He is also conducting a four-player AHL trade with the Boston Bruins, as he acquired forward Brett Harrison and defenseman Jackson Edward. In exchange, he sent forward Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo.
The Flyers general manager was also active on the waiver wire as the team claimed center Luke Glendening from the New Jersey Devils.
All in all, it was an afternoon that suggested that Briere wouldn’t be backed into a corner if he didn’t get the offers he was looking for. But at the same time, it’s fair to wonder if that doggedness caused a missed chance to maximize full value in exchange for one of his top players.
Flyers Trade Brink For Jiricek
In the late morning, the announcement of the Flyers trade of Brink for Jiricek certainly came across as a genuine surprise. It was also a clarion call of how Briere was looking at his roster. The deal was an acknowledgement of the somewhat unwieldy structure of the team at this stage of their rebuild. A roster that is overloaded with right wings and not enough high end defensive prospects.
From the Flyers perspective, the acquisition of the 22-year-old Jiricek, the sixth overall pick in the 2022 Draft, requires some projection. The 6’4, 220lb defenseman possesses ideal size, a booming shot, and a good sense for zone exits. However, his development stalled, and he has split time between Minnesota and AHL Iowa, as shown by his minus-15 rating with the latter. One of the biggest concerns regarding his long-term projection is his mistake-prone play.
However, there is little question that moving the 24-year-old Brink, who will likely carve out a long career as a strong support player, makes complete sense here. Defensemen, especially larger types like Jiricek, typically take a bit longer to mature. Certainly, there is some concern as he is on his third NHL organization at such a young age, but considering where Philadelphia is at the moment, this was a risk worth taking.
Ristolainen Stays Put
After much speculation following his performance during the Milan Olympics, there’s no question that Ristolainen’s value has never been higher. Both for the Flyers defense and for what he could fetch in return. However, Briere set a high bar for his services to contending teams, reportedly looking for a first-round draft pick and a close-to-NHL-ready prospect.
For all of the discussion about a possible trade, the evidence had mounted in the final two days that Briere was underwhelmed with the incoming offers. So much so that he allowed Ristolainen to play Thursday night against the Utah Mammoth.
The decision was somewhat jarring, considering so many of his counterparts didn’t play their prospective trade candidates for “roster management” purposes. On Friday, Ristolainen was one of the first players on the ice for practice, a further indicator that the Finn wasn’t going anywhere.
The Buffalo Sabres decided against a reunion with Ristolainen, pivoting to a deal with Winnipeg for Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn. The Detroit Red Wings gave up first- and third-round picks, along with defenseman Justin Holl and a Russian prospect, for St. Louis’ Justin Faulk. Other potential trade partners, such as the Boston Bruins and San Jose Sharks didn’t create offers that enticed Briere.
There’s no way to know if first-round picks were actually offered in trade for Ristolainen, as Briere would not reveal that during his availability.
The strategy now regarding Ristolainen shifts to the summer (the draft and start of free agency) to see if the Flyers could drum up better offers from a larger pool of teams. There is no guarantee that the Flyers will get the same level of offers for Ristolainen in the future. In the end, Briere will bear risk, especially in the event of another injury.
Deslauriers Dealt, Glendening Added
The writing had been on the wall for most of this week. The Flyers were looking to find enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers a new home. They were able to find one with the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a conditional seventh-round draft pick.
The hulking Deslauriers was in the final year of a four-year contract in which he proved himself a willing protector for the Flyers young core of players. But with more youth on the way, it made sense for the Flyers to give him an opportunity to play that role elsewhere.
At the same time, the Flyers came back from the Olympic break without a set center for the fourth line. Winger Carl Grundstrom has stood in for the injured Rodrigo Abols.
So, in the midst of a busy afternoon, Philadelphia claimed Glendening from the New Jersey Devils. The veteran center has a good reputation as a solid penalty killer and face-off specialist (51.7 percent this season).
Considering the Flyers had already tried the AHL route with Lane Pedersen before the Olympic break, this was another way to cover for that issue.
Flyers Sign Garrett Wilson To A Two Way Deal
Perhaps as a precursor to Briere’s deal-making on Thursday, the Flyers announced they signed Lehigh Valley Phantoms captain Garrett Wilson to a one-year, two-way contract. The contract is for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
There’s a very good chance that Wilson will replace Deslauriers spot in the lineup as an occasional enforcer. The 34-year-old Wilson has four goals, 16 points, and 99 PIM in 51 games with the Phantoms this season.
