According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Philadelphia Flyers might be shopping forward Wayne Simmonds.
The Philadelphia Flyers have been a disappointing team so far this season. They’re looking to make some changes and potentially continue their rebuild. One of their top assets is forward Wayne Simmonds. According to the latest NHL trade rumors segment by Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the Flyers are considering trading the Wayne Train.
He doesn’t say anything definitive, but he notes it’s a realistic possibility. The main motivation behind trading Simmonds would be to maximize a return for someone who will be a free agent after the 2018-19 season.
However, the Flyers aren’t just going to give away the heart and soul of their team. They’re going to ask for a lot to get him, and rightfully so. Simmonds is one of the NHL’s top power forwards and has a very well-rounded game. Analytics fans love how he drives possession and how he’s an extremely effective two-way forward. Eye test folks adore his ability to be an elite net-front presence.
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Through 26 games in 2017-18, Simmonds has 14 points in 26 games. He’s coming off four consecutive seasons with at least 50 points. Simmonds has at least 30 goals in each of his last two seasons and came within three goals combined of having four straight 30 goal seasons. His production has dropped, but let’s be fair, the Flyers rank 28th out of 31 in goals scored. That easily explains the decline.
Potential Return
The trade market is hard to read, but Simmonds would be the second best forward available, trailing only Evander Kane. And because he’s more than just a rental, he could command an even higher return than the Buffalo Sabres forward. A first-round pick and a top prospect could be the asking price.
That price will be much more concrete once some more trade dominoes fall. But one thing is for sure. The Flyers would need to be motivated to trade Simmonds. General Manager Ron Hextall has to be looking at the Colorado Avalanche and how they refused to back down from their demands for Matt Duchene. Granted, the latter is a center and Simmonds is a wing. But still, Hextall tends to do quite well when trading his own players.
Potential Suitors
Simmonds would fit in perfectly with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Josh Anderson has been fantastic for them and has helped fill the void left by Scott Hartnell. But still, Simmonds would make an already deep Blue Jackets team downright lethal. Especially on the power play. Columbus will probably make getting a center a top priority. However, they could also stand to upgrade at wing.
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Ironically, Simmonds would be a great fit for the Los Angeles Kings. And best of all, he wouldn’t directly interfere with their ability to re-sign Drew Doughty, as the two are scheduled to hit free agency at the same time. Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin hasn’t shown much to prove he’d be willing to pony up for Simmonds. But undeniably, he’d be a great fit with the Habs. Even with their recent surge, they could use some more scoring. And few in the NHL do that better than Simmonds.
Virtually every contender would try to make room for Wayne Simmonds if he’s available. He’s the kind of guy who could be a missing puzzle piece for a Stanley Cup hopeful.