Flyers trade Cousins to acquire left winger Brendan Warren
Warren, a 6-foot-1, 191-pound left winger, was drafted by the Coyotes in the third round (81st overall) in 2015. He had three goals and seven assists in 35 games with the University of Michigan last season.
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The Flyers traded forward Nick Cousins and goalie prospect Merrick Madsen to Arizona on Friday night for a fifth-round draft pick and prospect Brendan Warren.
Warren, a 6-foot-1, 191-pound left winger, was drafted by the Coyotes in the third round (81st overall) in 2015. He had three goals and seven assists in 35 games with the University of Michigan last season.
Cousins, who will turn 24 next month, had six goals and 16 points with the Flyers last season. There was a chance he would have been scooped from the Flyers in Vegas' expansion draft.
"We are very pleased to acquire Nick," Coyotes GM John Chayka said. "He is a tenacious, versatile, two-way center who will add grit and energy to our lineup."
Madsen went 28-6-2 for Harvard last season with a 2.11 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. The Flyers chose him in the sixth round of the 2013 draft.
Expansion draft
General manager Ron Hextall said he has not finalized his protected list for Vegas' expansion draft, but he said he would use the format in which he will protect seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie.
Among his decisions: Whether to protect veteran goalie Michal Neuvirth or rookie Anthony Stolarz.
"Is it difficult? It's more philosophical, I guess," he said. "You've got an older guy or a younger guy."
NHL teams must submit their protected lists by 5 p.m. Saturday. The NHL will announce the lists at 10 a.m. Sunday, and Vegas will have a 72-hour window to sign free agents. The rest of the NHL has to wait until July 1 to sign unrestricted free agents.
Vegas' picks will be announced Wednesday night. Each team will lose one player to the Golden Knights in the expansion draft.
Breakaways
Hextall, who said he does not plan to buy out any players from their contracts, has not ruled out re-signing Steve Mason, a pending unrestricted free agent, but he still hasn't made an offer to the goalie. … Hextall said he had "absolutely no idea" on which way the Devils were leaning with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. The Flyers have the second pick. … Voorhees native Cayden Primeau, a goalie whose dad, Keith, played with the Flyers, is expected to be a late-round draft selection. … Hextall said he had "nothing new" to report on negotiations with winger Jordan Weal, a potential unrestricted free agent.