Flyers trade Provorov to Blue Jackets in 3-way deal with Kings
The Philadelphia Flyers traded defenseman Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a three-team deal involving the Los Angeles Kings, the teams announced.
The Kings moved goaltender Cal Petersen, defenseman Sean Walker, and prospect Helge Grans to the Flyers and retained a portion of Provorov's $6.75-million salary. Philadelphia will also receive first- and second-round picks from Columbus and a second-rounder from Los Angeles.
The first-round pick the Flyers received originally belonged to the Kings, who sent it to the Blue Jackets for defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov at this year's trade deadline.
Here's a full breakdown of the deal:
| Blue Jackets receive | Flyers receive | Kings receive |
|---|---|---|
| D Ivan Provorov | G Cal Petersen | 30% of Provorov's contract |
| D Sean Walker | D Kevin Connauton | |
| D Helge Grans | F Hayden Hodgson | |
| 2023 1st-round pick (CBJ) | ||
| Conditional 2024 2nd-round pick (CBJ) | ||
| 2024 2nd-round pick (LA) |
Flyers general manager Danny Briere decided to trade Provorov because they're rebuilding and the draft picks the Blue Jackets and Kings offered them were "exciting," he said Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Giana Han.
"It wasn't an easy decision," Briere continued. "Ivan's been a really good soldier for the Flyers in the last few years. A lot of hits, a lot of sweat."
Philadelphia goaltender Carter Hart's future with the club remains uncertain, but the GM made it clear he's amenable to making more moves regardless of the player.
"Still in the same spot I was, (I'm) listening," Briere said, per Center Ice Philly's Anthony Mingioni. "We're open for business."
The move is a cap dump from the Kings' perspective. Petersen failed to deliver on the three-year, $15-million contract he signed in 2021. The team waived him this past season amid a difficult campaign in which he posted an .868 save percentage.
Walker's ice time plummeted to a career-low 14:50 per game in 2022-23, and trading him clears up an additional $2.65 million from a crowded blue line in Los Angeles.
Provorov is under contract through 2025. Philadelphia drafted the 26-year-old seventh overall in 2015, and he's logged at least 21 minutes per contest since his rookie season. He notched six goals and 21 assists in 82 games this past campaign for the rebuilding club.
Columbus, which is reportedly set to hire Mike Babcock as head coach in July, now has seven first-round picks aged 25 or younger on its blue line.
This marks the first trade under Philadelphia's new front office regime featuring Keith Jones as president of hockey operations and Briere as GM.
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