It may seem hard to believe, but the NHL's trade deadline is right around the corner.
As TSN's do-it-all Hockey Insider and future Flyerdelphia contributor Bob McKenzie pointed out on Monday, just five weeks separate us from the last day that trades can be made (Feb. 29, for the record).
NHL trade deadline is five weeks today. #ThxTips
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) January 25, 2016
How should GM Ron Hextall approach his second deadline day? Obviously, he should adopt another seller's mentality. While the Flyers have an outside shot at making the playoffs, there's no real need to stock up for a lengthy playoff run.
Hextall's been willing to pull the trigger on several trades, as he continues to move the Flyers' rebuild along. With that in mind, here are several Flyers that could potentially find themselves on the move on or before the deadline:
Mark Streit: Not exactly the most ideal candidate to be moved, but not the worst, either. Streit could make sense for a team looking for a veteran blueline presence, while also providing an inspiring presence in the locker room. His $5.25 million cap hit, however, may turn some suitors away, especially considering he has one season left on that deal. Additionally, his recent injury history may lead to him staying around in Philadelphia for the time being.
Nick Schultz: Like Streit, Schultz also has a year left on his deal, but his $2.25 million cap hit is much more friendly for teams. At 33-years-old, Schultz isn't exactly in line with the youth movement that Hextall has in mind for the defensive corps, and his less-than-stellar play on the ice this season indicates that Schultz may not have much hockey left in him. He could also provide value as a veteran leader, and his pursuit of a Stanley Cup would be sentimental.
Michael Raffl: Raffl found himself shifting all over the lineup this season, and with six goals through 46 games, he does not appear likely to match his 21 goals from last season.The 27-year-old Raffl could possibly benefit from a change of scenery, and could add scoring depth for a contending team. His cap hit is a steal at $1.1 million, and his deal expires this summer. Might as well try to squeeze a pick out of him rather than face the prospect of losing him for nothing.
R.J. Umberger: Another trade scenario that is quite unlikely, but if a trade involving Umberger were to go down, I'm sure there would be no shortage of Flyer fan volunteers to drive him to the airport. As if Umberger's $4.6 million cap hit isn't hard enough to move on its own, it'll be a dubious task to convince teams to take a flier on a guy with no goals and six points through 31 games this season.
Wayne Simmonds: The 'Wayne Train' is not exactly a guy that fans would like to see leave so soon — especially considering the three years left on his deal — but as rumors of a deal to Montreal surfaced last month, the possibility of parting ways with Simmonds became quite a real possibility. Teams have taken notice of his tenacious, net-front presence, and his 14 goals so far are in line with the upper-20-goal seasons that he's typically produced as a Flyer. In the unlikely event that Hextall decides to move Simmonds, however, I wouldn't expect it to happen at the deadline — but rather, at the draft in June.
Sam Gagner is another name that comes to mind as a free agent this season, but considering nobody picked him up when he was waived in December, it's not likely that a team would be willing to move assets for him. Taking into consideration that he may find himself as a healthy scratch on multiple occasions throughout the rest of the season, his value will only plummet.
What's worth keeping in mind is that the Flyers have met the limit of three player salaries that could be retained, so getting a deal done — especially for bigger-money guys like Streit, Umberger and Simmonds — is a long-shot. Then again, Hextall's been willing to pull a rabbit out of his hat when it comes to trades, so no possibilities can be ruled out.
(All salary cap information courtesy of NHLNumbers.com)
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
