Trade Target Number Two: F Tyler Ennis
Looking at the cheaper side of the rental market, Tyler Ennis could be an exciting option for Philadelphia. The Ottawa Senators forward can provide the Flyers with an offensive spark in their lower lines, but doesn’t come without a bit of risk.
Focusing on the positive side of the spectrum first, there’s no denying that Ennis is a gifted player in the attacking zone. The 5’9 forward’s netted 33 points in 61 games this season and has produced at a 0.40+ rate in seven of his eleven years in the NHL, doing so in a third line capacity in most years. Ennis has generated an above-average amount of shot rates for around the front of the net at 5v5, too, making for a threat level of 12%, according to Hockey Viz. Putting someone with his speed and offensive prowess next to a James van Riemsdyk or Scott Laughton would give the Flyers one helluva third combination, one that would continue to aid them in the depth scoring department.
My only concern regarding Ennis on the ice is his durability. The 30-year-old has played in a full 82-game campaign just one time in his previous 11 years and over 70 contests in four of them. The best type of ability is availability, and I’d be skeptical of giving up assets for a guy who might not make it through or even to the playoffs. Be that as it may, Ennis has a cheap enough contract for the Flyers to take on, would improve the forward unit, and shouldn’t break the bank in terms of a return. All of those benefits could be enough for Fletcher to overlook his injury history.