Though not exactly a blockbuster move, there was finally some action on the trade front on Sept. 4. The Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken swapped their 22-year-old American Hockey League (AHL) depth centers: Jon-Randall “J.R.” Avon is headed to Seattle, while Tucker Robertson is going to Philadelphia.
TRADE ALERT: We’ve acquired forward Tucker Robertson from Seattle in exchange for forward Jon-Randall Avon. https://t.co/qqLjli342H
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 4, 2025
Flyers Acquire Robertson
The Flyers are getting a center who can score on the rush and the net-front. The 2022 fourth-round pick has shown some scoring upside in his career, suggesting he can be a capable top-six center in the AHL with further development.
In 2021–22, he led the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Peterborough Petes in goal-scoring with 41, adding 40 assists across 68 games. He improved with 90 points in 2022–23, becoming the top offensive producer on a Peterborough squad that won the OHL Championship. The following season, he was a point-per-game player in a brief stint in the ECHL (14 points in 13 games).
Robertson was merely a depth player for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL last season, recording nine points in 38 games. The Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, may provide him with more opportunities. He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract.
Kraken Acquire Avon
Avon, also a member of that championship-winning Petes team, is a speedy, undrafted center. His point-scoring feats in Peterborough were less significant, notching 68 points across 64 games in 2021–22 and 60 points across 59 games in 2022–23, but his professional experience is far greater.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers 2024–25 Prospect Pyramid
With the Phantoms over his last two regular seasons, Avon suited up for 125 games. His 35 points don’t jump off the page, but he can immediately improve the pace of the Firebirds’ bottom six.
Like Robertson, Avon is in the final year of his entry-level deal. If he impresses his new coaching staff, he might be able to work his way up to a top-six role and, eventually, emergency call-up territory in the coming seasons. But for now, he’s a fun addition to the everyday AHL lineup.
The Flyers and Kraken gave up virtually equal value. However, this move could benefit their AHL clubs simultaneously, adding a new face to fill a similar role.
