Flyers trade defenseman Sean Walker to Colorado Avalanche
In return for Walker and taking on Ryan Johansen's contract, the Flyers have netted yet another first-round pick to fuel their rebuild.
After months of speculation and weeks of posturing, the Flyers have traded defenseman Sean Walker.
Walker is headed to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal for center Ryan Johansen and a 2025 first-round pick. Walker was set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, although there had been recent reports that the Flyers at least explored a contract extension with the blueliner. The Flyers also sent Colorado a 2026 fifth-round pick in the deal.
Acquired in the three-team trade for Ivan Provorov over the summer, Walker made an immediate impact on the Flyers roster. Considered a salary-cap casualty of the Los Angeles Kings and, to some, a throw-in at the time, Walker became one of the Flyers’ steadiest blueliners alongside his defensive partner, Nick Seeler.
The 29-year-old is in the midst of a career season, tallying six goals and 16 assists, and posting a plus-9 rating in 63 games for the Orange and Black. His analytics have been even better as he ranks No. 8 in Evolving Hockey’s even-strength offense model at 8.5 goals above replacement. He also is on the positive side defensively at 2.4 goals above replacement. A gifted skater, Walker has thrived in Philly’s rush-centric attack and has been a real difference-maker in driving play and controlling possession alongside Seeler.
The Flyers were able to net a first-rounder for Walker in return for taking on the contract of Johansen, who carries an $8 million cap hit, although that was being split between the Nashville Predators and the Avalanche. The Avalanche acquired the 31-year-old Johansen to be their second-line center in the offseason, but he never truly fit in, scoring 13 goals and adding 10 assists in 63 games. His ice time had decreased in recent weeks.
» READ MORE: Trade candidates, asking prices for Sean Walker and Nick Seeler, and more from Jackie Spiegel’s Reddit AMA
The Flyers immediately placed Johansen, who played half of the 2015-16 season for John Tortorella in Columbus, on waivers Wednesday. Columbus traded Johansen, then their franchise center after he was benched and had several run-ins with Tortorella during their brief stint together, for Seth Jones in 2016. Johansen has one more year left on his current deal, and the Flyers are expected to take the $4 million off Colorado’s books for the remainder of the deal. It is highly unlikely Johansen, even as a three-time 20-goal scorer, is claimed because of his cap hit.
The 2025 first-rounder is top-10 protected, but the star-studded Avalanche, led by MVP candidate Nathan MacKinnon, are not expected to finish anywhere near the top 10 of that draft. The Flyers now have two first-round picks in 2024 and 2025. At present, the Flyers are set to pick eight times in the top two rounds of the next two drafts.