Posted: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 2:48 PM | 38 comments |
 

A Nashville Chess Game
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TAMPA, Fla. – With the NHL’s trade deadline just a little more than 24 hours away, the Flyers seem to have hit a snag in their negotiations with Nashville.

As reported by the Daily News yesterday, the Flyers and Predators have been talking about a trade involving soon-to-be free agent defenseman Dan Hamhuis.

Multiple league and team sources said the two teams were close to a deal last night for Hamhuis.

Since rental players – like Hamhuis – can be a hot commodity at the deadline, Nashville has upped the ante for him. I reported yesterday that the Predators were interested in acquiring either Ryan Parent (who they traded to the Flyers in 2007) or Braydon Coburn.

A source close to the situation told me today that the Predators are now asking for both players in return for Hamhuis.

That’s a steep price to pay for a player you aren’t even certain will be on your team next year. Sure, Parent has been injured often and Coburn’s stock has dropped significantly since 2008 but it’s easy to forget that Parent is 22 and Coburn is 24. Coburn is still a big part of the Flyers’ defense.

Here’s the hang-up: the Flyers don’t have much in the way of a prospects right now to send to Nashville with Parent. I’m told that Parent and a 2nd round pick would likely get the job done. Of course, the Flyers’ first pick in the 2010 Draft is in the 3rd round.

Clearly not willing to let both players go – and not having much else of interest – the Flyers are sitting tight.

Nashville GM David Poile’s strategy is to hang on to Hamhuis as long as he can to see if a team will get desperate tomorrow before the deadline.

Nashville goalie Dan Ellis has long been rumored to be part of the deal but the Flyers don’t have the cap room necessary to acquire both players. Plus, I don’t think the Flyers are sold that Ellis is the long-term solution in net.

With the prices high, the Flyers, I’m told, will sit and wait in case Nashville rings them back. Boston and New Jersey are also rumored to be in the mix for Hamhuis. Pittsburgh was, as well, until they brought in Jordan Leopold from Florida.

I don’t have any doubt Hamhuis will be traded. Their contract extension talks have stalled – and are going nowhere – and Nashville would rather pick up a serviceable product for him than get nothing when he walks on July 1.

The Predators asking price will likely come down as time passes. I think it’s just a matter of when. And where.

Other rumors

  • Some outlets are reporting that the Flyers are involved in talks for Florida goaltender Tomas Vokoun. He is a long shot, at best. Vokoun makes $5.7 million (a nearly impossible number to fit), the Panthers are fine with keeping him, and he’d have to waive his no-trade clause to come to Philly. As of 2 o’clock today, Vokoun had reportedly not been asked to waive his NTC. It’s a pipe dream.
  • As of right now, talks have stalled between the Flyers and Blue Jackets for either Raffi Torres or Milan Jurcina. Similar to the deal with Nashville, the Flyers lack a draft pick needed to get the job done.
  • The Flyers seem all but out of the race for Atlanta’s Colby Armstrong.
  • TSN's Bob McKenzie reported today that Colorado's Wojtek Wolski is in play at the deadline. While I haven't heard from any sources that say the Flyers are interested, he could provide the scoring spark the Flyers need on the wing. Wolski's $2.8 million cap hit is right in their ballpark. The problem is, Wolski is just 24 and with 17 goals and 30 assists, he's likely to command a pretty big deal.

Flyers notes

  • Ryan Parent said he will play tonight, likely on a pair with Braydon Coburn – coincidentally enough.
  • Flyers GM Paul Holmgren confirmed a Daily News report that Oskars Bartulis is suffering from a groin injury. He had an MRI taken and is day-to-day, for now. Bartulis is not with the team in Florida.
  • Riley Cote and Danny Syvret both cleared waivers today at 12 noon. Syvret will be sent to Adirondack. Cote will hang with the Flyers for now. He skated after practice for a while with extra defenseman Joey Mormina this morning.

Follow me on Twitter (http://twitter.com/DNFlyers) for the latest updates.
Posted by Frank Seravalli @ 2:48 PM  Permalink | 38 comments
38
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:52 PM, 03/02/2010
    Frank, if you had to say right now, are the Flyers making a deal or standing pat?
    — phillyfan412
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:53 PM, 03/02/2010
    it seems to me that the flyers already made their deadline trade. and it was last june. pronger sucked the future out of us, so of course other teams are gonna have the prospects to outbid us in a trade any day. I think, much like last year, we're gonna pretty much head into april with the team we had in october.
    — rossismad
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:06 PM, 03/02/2010
    Hey Frank...I think you might be the first sports writer/reporter in the history of sports to correctly use the term 'coincidentally' as opposed to the constantly misused 'ironically'.
    — vingio311
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:08 PM, 03/02/2010
    Wow, now WHY would Holmer want to go ahead and shed two salaries in exchange for one??????????????????????????????????? WHO THE F**** IS RUNNING THIS TEAM? Next you'll tell me that Holmer turned down Montreal to unload Briere for a first round draft pick. Take the Hamhuis deal, they just signed Bartulius to a deal and Krajak is playing well.
    — MichaelZoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:09 PM, 03/02/2010
    FlyersFan88 -- we CANNOT trade any more drafts picks. the treasure chest is BARE. we need any draft picks we can get.
    — MichaelZoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:11 PM, 03/02/2010
    Inserting Hamhaui is the lineup is risky...about as risky as starting Pylora next to Richards on our first line to open the season.
    — MichaelZoe
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:19 PM, 03/02/2010
    Two first rounders for a first rounder. Somehow that doesn't equate. Have Nashville include d-prospect Charles Olivier-Roussel from the Q and make the deal.
    — schultz08
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:21 PM, 03/02/2010
    Rossimad, you are right on. The long-term effects of the Pronger deal are only now coming home to roost, and they will not be good.
    — joeingoal
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:26 PM, 03/02/2010
    Someone please explain, if the flyers give up Coburn and Parent, aren't they short on d-men?
    — Big Bog
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:30 PM, 03/02/2010
    Hey, don't tell me the Flyers FO isn't shrewd.. If they trade away all their draft picks, they'll save tons of money by not having to send a whole group of shirts to the NHL entry draft. Air fars, hotel rooms, food, not to mention 5 or 6 replica jersey's with the name plates and numbers 2010 on them. This alone has got to cut $20,- $25,000 right off the top of the budget...
    — dedhed
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:34 PM, 03/02/2010
    Yeah FlyersFan88-- you are spot on.
    — snipesmorris


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About Frank Seravalli
Frank Seravalli is in his fourth year with the Daily News and third season covering the Flyers. He started at the Daily News as an intern writing about the boozing legends of the Lincoln Financial Field lots and hasn't left. Since joining the Flyers beat, he has covered everything from the Winter Classic to the Stanley Cup Final and everything in between. Prior to joining the Daily News, the Bucks County native did a large amount of freelance work for local media outlets, covering high schools, colleges and all four of Philly's major sports teams. He resides in Center City. E-mail Frank at seravaf@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter @DNFlyers.

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