The Philadelphia Flyers will look to rebuild over the next few seasons due to the lack of talent on the roster that will not allow them to be in a position to compete for a playoff spot. Ivan Provorov’s long-term future with them has been in question as he has not been the elite number-one defenseman they envisioned after selecting him seventh overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.
The club has not been clear on what direction they want to go in, as general manager (GM) Chuck Fletcher has been reluctant to use the term rebuilding until recently. He and head coach John Tortorella hinted earlier in the season that a foundation is being formed for the future. Provorov has a big cap hit of $6.75 million until the end of 2024-25, and trading him as he is entering his prime would be prudent of Fletcher if the defenseman is not in their future plans. It appears that he will get dealt by the Flyers at some point during the remainder of his current contract.
The organization would receive multiple assets, including draft picks and young players, in return for a trade involving Provorov. But affording players with a large salary will be an issue for playoff-contending clubs due to available cap space, so the Flyers will need to absorb half of his earnings, which is $3.375 million in 2022-23. Let’s look at three playoff contenders in the Western Conference that could trade for him by the March 3 trade deadline.
Los Angeles Kings
Goaltending looks to be the Los Angeles Kings’ primary need general manager Rob Blake will address by the trade deadline. They’re also in the hunt for a defenseman and have been linked to Arizona Coyotes blueliner Jakob Chychrun, but Provorov has been rumored to interest the Kings as well.
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The Kings will also look to trade Matt Roy or Sean Walker, especially if they add another defenseman like Provorov to help afford his contract. Look for the Flyers to inquire about the availability of Quinton Byfield. The former second-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft has the potential of being instrumental in a rebuild. If GM Blake does not want to trade him, they have other prospects, such as forward Samuel Famego and defenseman Jordan Spence. A deal would include the Flyers absorbing 50 percent of Provorov’s earnings in 2022-23, trading him, and a 2024 third-round pick for Walker, Famego, Spence, and their 2023 second-round pick.
Winnipeg Jets
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