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Who will the Flyers protect in the 2021 Expansion Draft?

By Drew Wheeler

July 28, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates a goal by teammate Sean Couturier #14 during the first period of the exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on July 28, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Mandatory Credit: Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via USA TODAY Sports
July 28, 2020; Toronto, Ontario, CANADA; Jakub Voracek #93 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates a goal by teammate Sean Couturier #14 during the first period of the exhibition game against the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on July 28, 2020 in Toronto, Ontario. Mandatory Credit: Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via USA TODAY Sports /
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Defense

Earlier this year, the Flyers’ defensive protections were practically a lock. Now, with the way the defense has played this season, it’s a little less certain.

1) Ivan Provorov

Yes, Provorov had a down year this season, but it was mainly because Alain Vigneault has been rotating the top pair like it’s a revolving door with a 7-year-old playing inside it. Provorov is still very good and will be an automatic protect.

2) Phil Myers

Again another player with a down year, but a 6’5 RHD with speed doesn’t come around often. He looked like he was blossoming at the end of the 2019-2020 season. Again with the revolving door on defense he never was able to fully settle in. He will be protected and most likely the second pair right defenseman next season.

3) Travis Sanheim

I wanted to put Shayne Gostisbehere here just because of the way he’s rebounded this season, plus Travis Sanheim has been absolutely horrendous for the Flyers this year; however, as with the Nolan Patrick protection, the same logic falls for Sanheim here as he is an RFA at the end of the season and hopefully makes it easier to get rid of a bloated contract.

NOTABLE UNPROTECTED

  1. Shayne Gostisbehere
  2. Justin Braun

In all honesty, these two have also been arguably the best defensemen on the ice for the Flyers this season, meaning if this is how the forwards and defensemen are protected, the Flyers will be leaving 2 of their top 3 point scorers and 2 best defensemen (this season) unprotected. Wild.

GOALIES

1) Carter Hart

This is a no-brainer. I don’t even need to elaborate further.

Notable Unprotected

  1. Felix Sandstrom

To not break the expansion draft rules the Flyers will either have to leave RFA Felix Sandstrom unprotected WITH a qualifying offer already given out, or give Alex Lyon/Brian Elliott an extension before the expansion draft. The latter seems unlikely leaving Sandstrom available to snatch away.

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