TEAMS CIRCLING ON LAUGHTON

MONTREAL, QC — The centre trade market kicked off in a big way prior of the NHL All Star festivities when Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan were both traded in separate deals last week. The market has been set for pivots and the Philadelphia Flyers have taken notice.

I was told heading into the All Star break that the Flyers had, in light of the Lindholm and Monahan deals, set the price tag at a first-round draft pick for centre Scott Laughton. Speaking with several people over the last 36 hours, the Flyers have not wavered off that ask and are in no rush to trade the 29-year-old.

Laughton, who has two years remaining on his deal at a $3 million AAV, is not a rental and has a favorable contract. Speaking with executives from two different teams over the last week, both feel that a first-round selection is fair value for Laughton given where the market has been set. Using the Barclay Goodrow trade from four years ago as a comparison, both agreed he is at least as good if not better than Goodrow, with one adding that Laughton is “on a good contract.”

I’ve heard that six to eight teams have shown some level of interest in the former first round selection, including the Edmonton Oilers. According to one source, the Flyers and Oilers have had several conversations over the last number of weeks – but not just about Laughton.

As I reported a week and a half ago, the Oilers are among the teams interested in defenceman Sean Walker.

Walker, 29, is expected to be dealt due to the acquisition of defenseman Jamie Drysdale last month. The Walker camp had been waiting for the Flyers to reach out to discuss a potential extension; as of Wednesday, no talks occurred. The Flyers are in somewhat of a holding pattern with Walker, I’ve been told, until the Flames make their move on rental defencemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

It has been reiterated to me several times that the Flyers are holding firm on a first-round selection for Walker, if not a package of sorts equating to similar value. The Flyers are willing to retain on Walker, as he is a pending UFA, and making him a $1.3 million rearguard will certainly be appetizing for an acquiring team if Philly eats half his contract.

In the case of the Oilers, retention will almost certainly be needed in acquiring either Laughton or Walker – but could we see both?

It’s no secret the Oilers have their sights set on a Stanley Cup run this season; in order to do so, an upgrade on their backend and bottom-six is needed. Walker checks the box as an upgrade over Cody Ceci; in the case of Laughton, perhaps he can provide some of the depth scoring and versatility they thought they had with Connor Brown.

I don’t imagine the Flyers will retain on Laughton, though I’d say it’s a slam dunk with Walker. But with the Oilers only projected to have a little more than $2.3 million in cap space by the Deadline (thank you CapFriendly), it’ll take some more roster and cap gymnastics to pull off such a trade.

While the Flyers currently only project to have a little more than $900,000 in space by the Deadline, they are prepared to shift Ryan Ellis to LTIR, which would open up an additional $6.25 million in overage space. They also expect to get some kind of salary relief for Carter Hart, as TSN’s Darren Dreger has reported, though the details on that are still unclear. All this to say, the Flyers are in a position to take back money if it’s needed to push a trade over the finish line.

Among other teams believed to have interest in Laughton are the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maples Leafs.

Rasmus Ristolainen

As mentioned by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman in his 32 Thoughts column, Rasmus Ristolainen’s “stock is up” but the contract does complicate things. As I reported two months ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs have kept tabs (as they have on Walker) on Ristolainen; the Vancouver Canucks were another team mentioned to me tied to Ristolainen.

Ristolainen, 28, is signed until 2028 at an AAV of $5.1 million. Once an analytical disaster, Ristolainen has rebuilt his game under Head Coach John Tortorella and Associate Coach Brade Shaw, playing largely solid hockey (though in a sheltered role) going back to November 2022.

Defensemen of Ristolainen’s ilk are always polarizing: traditional fans love the physicality and what that type of player can mean in a playoff run, while newer aged fans think the lack of puck skills and mobility limits the ceiling. To be honest, the answer is somewhere in the middle.

Is Ristolainen going to step in and anchor your top pair? Of course not. But can he step in as a guy fourth or fifth on your depth chart as a physical presence and give you second unit, penalty kill time? I believe so.

Hulking (preferably right shot) defencemen garner overpayments routinely at the Trade Deadline year over year. In 2021, David Savard fetched a first; in 2022, Ben Chiarot did the same; the same year, Josh Manson brought back a second and a prospect. Like it or not, these are the types of defensemen General Managers salivate over ahead of a playoff run.

If Ristolainen was on an expiring deal, I think the Flyers would happily eat 50% of his salary and be content with a mid round selection in return – similar to what we saw Luke Schenn get traded for last year. In fact, I think the Flyers would trade Ristolainen and his current contract for a similar return if a team was willing to take the full contract. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done right now.

As TFP’s David Pagnotta reported earlier today, the Dallas Stars may be another team to watch.

Speaking with other teams, the ballpark figure for Ristolainen is in and around $3.5 million; that would require 30% retention on the Flyers’ part. While the Flyers rather not, they are willing to do so, although locking up another retention spot (in addition to Kevin Hayes) long term will come at a cost. Making Ristolainen a $3.5 million defenseman for three-plus seasons is a good deal for an acquiring team, especially with the cap expected to be north of $90 million by 2025-26.

If a team wants Ristolainen at that number, I was told it will take “at least” a first round selection to make the deal worth it for the Flyers. With a deal being so complicated in season, those I’ve spoken with feel it’s unlikely Ristolainen will be moved before the Trade Deadline. Given the contract, a deal in the summer with the increased cap, but it is still something to keep an eye on.

All Star Festivities

Would like to take the time to give a shout out to TFP Editor-in-Chief David Pagnotta and Senior Writer Dennis Bernstein who absolutely knocked it out of the park over All Star Weekend in Toronto. The TFP Gifting Suite was a major success, as well as the extracurriculars that blew any pre-weekend expectations out of the water. Some details are better left unsaid, but it was an amazing experience.

From fresh contacts made, to memorable moments and new friendships brokered, it was an amazing weekend for the TFP brand and was great to catch up with my mentors, David and Dennis, in person.

See you in Vegas, which just so happens to correspond with my 30th birthday in late June.