By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor 
By now, much has been made with the Flyers' second-overall selection in this year's NHL Draft. With the draft now less than a month away, excitement is abuzz that a big-name prospect (Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier) could find their way to the Orange and Black, or the pick could even be dealt for the right price (hey, anything is possible in today's NHL).
Trades have been one thing GM Ron Hextall has been known for during his time at the helm. In an era where plenty of league general managers are reticent to swap players and draft picks, Hextall hasn't been the slightest bit afraid — especially with his build-through-the-draft philosophy.
With his third season wrapped up, Hextall has made 13 trades. Here's how they've all shaken out, ranked from worst to best:
13. Nov. 12, 2016: Petr Straka to New Jersey for a conditional seventh-round pick
I'll put this down as the worst, because at the time this trade was made, it almost seemed like the Flyers could get more for a 24-year-old Straka. He had just completed his third season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and though he recorded 19 goals and 37 points in the prior season, he was a healthy scratch to that point. Sure, seventh-rounders can't be slept on, but the move just came off as baffling. Considering Straka put up four goals and 13 points with the Devils' American League-affiliate Albany Devils, perhaps Hextall and the Flyers saw something in Straka that warranted moving on.
12. 2016 fourth-round choice to New York Islanders for 2017 fourth-rounder
Eleven spots after taking Connor Bunnaman, the Flyers sent another pick in the fourth round to the Islanders for a fourth-rounder in this year's draft. Essentially, it was a way of saying the players left in the fourth didn't merit another pick in the round, and they might as well wait another year for it. Tough move to make, though, considering this year's prospect crop is measurably weaker than last year's. It does give the Orange and Black three picks in this year's fourth round, though, so it's liable to be moved yet again.
11. 2015 fourth-rounder to Los Angeles for 2015 fourth-rounder and 2016 sixth-rounder
Not necessarily a bad trade, per se, but it has room to improve. This trade allowed the Kings to move up and snag Austin Wagner, while the Flyers dropped back to end up with Mikhail Vorobyov. It also afforded them the opportunity to select Anthony Salinitri with their second pick of the sixth round. Vorobyov signed an entry-level deal with the club last month, and is expected to join the Phantoms next season after five goals and 14 points in 72 career games with Ufa of the KHL.
10. 2016 first-rounder (18th overall) and 2016 third-rounder (79th overall) to Winnipeg for 2016 first-rounder (22nd overall)
Again, not necessarily a bad trade, but this one will take some time to pan out. The Flyers allowed the Jets to move up and snag Logan Stanley, and took German Rubtsov at No. 22. After going scoreless in 15 games with HC Vityaz of the KHL, Rubstov moved over to the QMJHL to play with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, and erupted with nine goals and 22 points in 16 games. Rubtsov signed an entry-level deal on March 2, and will return to the Saguenéens next season.
9. Scott Hartnell to Columbus for R.J. Umberger, 2015 fourth-rounder
Financially, Hextall's first move made sense, but on the ice, it was just rough to watch. Though Scott Hartnell was coming off a 20-goal campaign and was an established fan-favorite, five more seasons of his $4.75 million cap hit was just too hard to bear, so he was sent to the Blue Jackets for three years of Umberger's $4.6 million hit. Umberger recorded just 11 goals and 26 points in his second stint as a Flyer before being bought out last season, while Hartnell is coming off his worst offensive output as a Blue Jacket (13 goals, 37 points) at the age of 35.
One aspect of this move that often goes overlooked is that while the Flyers were coming off a playoff appearance (a tough seven-game loss to the NY Rangers), it's not like they were getting any farther than the Second Round. As Hextall wanted to get started on the team's rebuild, it made sense to move an aging player with a steep cap hit on the decline. The 2014-15 Flyers did not return to the playoffs, and a similar outcome was likely even with Hartnell in the picture.
8. Mark Streit to Tampa Bay for Valtteri Filppula, a 2017 fourth-rounder and a conditional 2017 fourth-rounder
With the Flyers unexpected to return to the playoffs, they dealt veteran Mark Streit to the Lightning for another veteran in Valtteri Filppula, as well as fourth- and seventh-round picks in this year's draft. Conditions are still undisclosed for the seventh-rounder, while the fourth would be the Flyers' third pick of the round. 33-year-old Filppula, who was primed as a buyout candidate for the Bolts in the offseason, chipped in on the second line and totaled five goals and eight points in 20 games. He also allowed Sean Couturier to slide in a comfortable third-line center role, where he recorded 14 goals and 34 points in some of his best hockey over the second half of the season.
7. Kimmo Timonen to Chicago for a 2015 second-rounder and 2016 conditional pick
The trade that ended an era. After not suiting up a game for the Flyers in the 2014-15 season because of blood clots, franchise cornerstone Kimmo Timonen was sent to Chicago at the deadline for a second-round puck in 2015 and a conditional pick in 2016. The second-rounder was eventually sent to Toronto in 2015, where they selected Jeremy Bracco, and the conditonal pick materialized into a second-round selection, where the Orange and Black snagged Wade Allison.
6. Tye McGinn to San Jose for a 2015 third-rounder
Once upon a time, Tye McGinn was a top Flyers prospect. Following his third season with the team, though, the Flyers sent him to the Sharks for a 2015 third-rounder, which went on to become Felix Sandstrom. Certainly a decent swap in retrospect, as McGinn is still hanging around with Syracuse of the AHL while Sandstrom is on his way to becoming one of the organization's goalies of the future after a promising start with Brynas of the SHL. Sandstrom will be sticking around in Brynas for next season, giving him an extended opportunity to hone his game at a top level.
5. Nicklas Grossmann, Chris Pronger to Arizona for Sam Gagner, conditional pick
During the 2015 Draft, Hextall pulled off what many considered to be impossible — moving the $4.9 million cap hit of Chris Pronger, who had been inactive since 2011, while also shedding the dead weight of Nicklas Grossmann. Though Gagner posted eight goals and 16 points in 53 unspectacular games in the 2015-16 season, the deal was already seen as a major coup for Hextall. The conditional pick also ended up getting moved to the NY Islanders for a fourth-rounder in this year's draft (see No. 12).
4. Zac Rinaldo to Boston for 2017 third-rounder
I still can't believe this one happened. Don Sweeney, newly-minted GM of the Bruins, decided to take Zac Rinaldo for a third-round pick. The same Zac Rinaldo that went on to play 52 games and score one goal before spending this whole season with AHL Providence. An actual skate lace can be selected, and it would still be an absolute fleecing for the Flyers.
3. Luke Schenn, Vincent Lecavalier to Los Angeles for Jordan Weal, 2016 third-rounder (82nd overall)
This trade was seen as excellent, just solely because it got the disgruntled Vinny Lecavalier and disappointing Luke Schenn out of town. It also netted the Flyers a decent young player in Jordan Weal, a player long seen as too good for the AHL yet not good enough for The Show. Weal had a monster 15 goals and 47 points in 43 games with the Phantoms, and was a pleasant surprise in 23 games with the Flyers, scoring eight goals and 12 points after Travis Konecny went down with an injury. Considered a throw-in at the time of the trade, Weal is expected to carry his strong performance with the big club in 2017-18. The Flyers selected Carsen Twarynski with the third-round pick, though he's established himself as quite underwhelming in his junior career.
2. Braydon Coburn to Tampa Bay for Radko Gudas, a 2015 first-rounder (29th overall) and a 2015 third-rounder (90th overall)
Firmly in sell mode at the deadline, the Flyers dealt then-longest-tenured player Braydon Coburn for an injured defenseman in Radko Gudas and a pair of 2015 draft picks. The 29th-overall pick found its way to Columbus by way of Toronto, while the third-rounder yielded another goalie-of-the-future candidate in Matej Tomek. Gudas, on the other hand, has established himself as a well-rounded defenseman. He had a reputation for being nothing more than a goon/dirty player when he was first acquired, but he has parlayed that into the Pelle Lindbergh Award this season for most-improved player.
1. 2015 first-rounder (29th overall) and 2015 second-rounder (61st overall) to Toronto for 2015 first-rounder (24th overall)
The Flyers traded up five spots in the 2015 first round to get their hands on Travis Konecny, for their second pick of the opening round. It only cost them a first-rounder they had already, and a second-rounder. Konecny, taken 17 selections after Ivan Provorov, was immediately seen as one of the players that the franchise will build around. He made his debut last season and showed promise, with 11 goals and 28 points in 70 games.
