The Colorado Avalanche have acquired defenseman Sean Walker from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2025 first-round draft pick and forward Ryan Johansen.
Trade rumours have been swirling around a number of Flyers’ players as the trade deadline approaches and Walker is the first player Flyers’ general manager Daniel Briere has moved since trading Cutter Gauthier for Jamie Drysdale in early January.
Walker, 29, is on the last year of a four-year deal that pays him $2.65 million annually and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. This is the second trade Walker has been involved in in less than a year, as he was initially acquired by the Flyers from the Los Angeles Kings as part of the Ivan Provorov trade this past offseason.
Avalanche Add Versatile Defenseman For Stretch Run
The Avalanche are currently sitting third in the Central Division with 81 points and are in a three-way battle for first place with the Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets. In Walker, Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland has snagged a top-four talent who can do a little bit of everything and has been having a solid season.
On the season, Walker has six goals and 16 assists for 22 points — which is just two points shy of his career high — and is averaging 19:36 in ice time. While his production has tapered a bit since his early-season hot streak, he is a versatile player who can fit in many roles. He can play on both the left and right sides, can boost a penalty kill, and is excellent at leading the rush offensively. At 5-foot-11 and 191 pounds, he isn’t the biggest and scariest d-man on the ice, but can put a team in multiple scoring opportunities with his ability to join the rush or create one on his own off a defensive play.
Walker is joining a defensive core of that includes Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard. His presence should mitigate the loss of Bowen Byram — who the Avalanche traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Casey Mittlestadt — and he seems to fit right in with the style of play the Avalanche favour. He is second in the NHL to Makar in rush chances and tied for first with the now-departed Byram for rush goals by defensemen.
Flyers Add To The Rebuild, But Are At a Crossroads
The main piece in the return to Briere and company is a first-round pick in next year’s NHL Entry Draft. It is top 10 protected, which means the pick could slide to 2026. The Flyers have built up quite a bit of draft capital, as they have 10 picks in the 2024 Draft and now have nine picks in the 2025 draft (unless the first-rounder they acquired slides to 2026.)
Also included in the deal is forward Ryan Johansen, who has 13 goals and 10 assists in 63 games this season. The 31-year-old veteran of 905-career NHL games was in his first season with the Avalanche after spending eight seasons with the Nashville Predators and five seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Johansen, between the three clubs, has 202 goals and 376 assists for 546 points. He was originally selected fourth overall by the Blue Jackets in 2010. However, they subsequently placed him on waivers, meaning they may want to try to flip him and his $4-million contract to another team ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Related: Flyers’ Trade Deadline Moves Will Clarify Team’s Direction
The Flyers are at a bit of a crossroads, because although they entered the season considered a rebuilder, they have been more competitive than expected under head coach John Tortorella. They sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 72 points, but the two current Eastern-Conference wild card holders — the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning — also have 72 points. Trading Walker may indicate Briere believes his team is not quite ready for prime time and would prefer to continue to amass assets for the future.
