Should Flyers Make a Play for Flames’ Nikita Zadorov

Oct 29, 2023; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) along with Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse (25) and flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov (16) and flames centre Mikael Backlund (11) battle each other during the third period in the 2023 Heritage Classic ice hockey game at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 29, 2023; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) along with Edmonton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse (25) and flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov (16) and flames centre Mikael Backlund (11) battle each other during the third period in the 2023 Heritage Classic ice hockey game at Commonwealth Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Walter Tychnowicz-USA TODAY Sports /
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If Zadorov is willing to do a sign-and-trade deal, we could make the deal happen. One player that would satisfy the salary cap requirements and solve another problem that Philly has is dealing them Morgan Frost. I like Frost and I believe he has a good future, but what is going on is not working right now. There has to be a change.

Frost is making $1.65 million less than Zadorov, so the Flyers would have to find room. By adding another defender, another player would have to be sent down to AHL or Calgary. In this case, Victor Mete is the odd man out and would close that gap to about $875,000. There would still have be some finagling of numbers, but Philly can figure it out.

It gives Frost a chance to play somewhere else and boost an offense. It gives the Flyers a decent draft pick because getting Frost shouldn’t be cheap, but then again trading him to get Zadorov would limit Calgary getting a higher draft pick; especially considering they’d have an extra year of control over Frost.

The new Flyers defensive alignment could look as such:

Cam York – Travis Sanheim

Egor Zamula – Sean Walker

Nikita Zadorov – Nick Seeler/Louie Belpedio

It’s not a bad option. It’s something that the Flyers could look into. The Frost situation does need figuring out. At the same time, this defensive corps is working well. It could be improved, naturally, but there is a lot of promise. Zadorov could instantly improve this unit. Is he a good long term solution? We’d have to see.