Player to sell: Sean Walker
Sean Walker is one of three pending unrestricted free agents in the Flyers defensive rotation, so you can see why it makes sense to try and trade for Broberg should Briere look to send Walker elsewhere. But with players like Scott Laughton and Morgan Frost also in the rumor mill, why would Walker be the best fit for Edmonton?
For one, the Oilers still need help in the defensive zone, and while Laughton would be a good fit as a defensive forward, Walker will be playing in another city next season regardless unless Briere can work out an unprecedented deal with his representation. That doesn’t appear to be the case, and Laughton has another two years remaining with the Flyers, so he can help them keep making their run this year and next year.
Therefore, Walker, and not Laughton, is the player to sell in a hypothetical trade with Edmonton. Further, Walker does a much better job of getting in front of shots, with 98 blocks this season compared to 39 for Laughton.
Walker can also help the Oilers offensively, and it’s something we have seen in Philadelphia with a career-high 50.9 xGF this season. It shows how valuable Walker has been to the Flyers, and if there was a better chance of getting a deal done, he would remain within the organization, but it’s not trending that way.