Trade grades: How did new Flyers GM Danny Brière make out in the Ivan Provorov deal?

Ivan Provorov’s time in Philadelphia was filled with ups and downs, but over the last two seasons, he had been trending more down than up. On Tuesday, the Flyers redirected from his descending path by trading the veteran defenseman to the Columbus Blue Jackets in a three-team deal that also involved the Los Angeles Kings.

Provorov scored 17 goals — tied for the most among all NHL defensemen — as a 21-year-old in his second year, and in his fourth season was the No. 1 defenseman for a team that came up a game short of the Eastern Conference finals. But the last two seasons looked very different. Provorov was a combined minus-37 with just 15 combined goals. In January, he created a media firestorm by being the only Flyer to boycott warmups on Pride Night.

» READ MORE: Ivan Provorov’s decline made the Flyers’ decision to trade him inevitable

Provorov made headlines again Tuesday, but this time as part of Danny Brière’s first major trade as Flyers general manager. It was a complicated and forward-thinking move that showcased Brière’s creativity, born from his innate love for puzzles and problem-solving.

Here’s a look at the trade in full and how Brière, who is currently in Buffalo evaluating prospects at the NHL draft combine, fared in his first major transaction while overseeing the team’s rebuild:

In exchange for sending Provorov to Columbus and AHL veterans Hayden Hodgson and Kevin Connauton to Los Angeles, Brière received the No. 22 overall pick in this month’s draft from Columbus and a conditional second-round pick for 2024 (this pick could be deferred to 2025 by the Blue Jackets). The Flyers also received the Kings’ 2024 second-rounder as well as veteran goaltender Cal Petersen, defenseman Sean Walker, and defensive prospect Helge Grans. The Kings retained 30% of Provorov’s salary for the Blue Jackets.

For the last seven years, the Flyers have looked at Provorov, whom they drafted No. 7 overall in 2015, as the No. 1 defenseman to build around.

Former general manager Chuck Fletcher made several moves based on the belief that Provorov would reach his potential if he found him the right partner. While the Flyers couldn’t have predicted Matt Niskanen’s sudden retirement or Ryan Ellis’ injury misfortune, they saw Provorov’s progress stall amid a rotating cast of partners.

Provorov continued to log a lot of minutes (between 23-25 a night) for a struggling defensive corps. He also consistently blocked shots, played physically, and helped the Flyers exit their zone as a puck-mover. But his offensive numbers continued to decline, while his defensive lapses and turnovers increased. Provorov remained a solid defenseman, but he never became that bona fide No. 1 guy that he was projected to be.

The limelight settled on Provorov when he decided to sit out the Flyers warmups on Pride Night because he wanted to “stay true to [his] beliefs.” This launched the Flyers into the middle of a fraught discourse that lasted the rest of the season as some players on other teams followed suit. The whole situation also highlighted a lack of communication within the locker room as well as in management.

» READ MORE: Ivan Provorov shuns LGBTQ+ community as Flyers miss a chance to make a difference on Pride night

Brière did not want to comment on whether Provorov asked for a trade, but he said Provorov’s Pride Night boycott did not lead to the deal.

“Ivan has been a really good soldier for the Flyers for a lot of years, a lot of sweat, a lot of hits he’s taken, a lot of pucks he’s blocked,” Brière said Tuesday via Zoom. “So he’s really poured his heart out into the Flyers. So it wasn’t an easy decision. But for us, what we were looking at is young guys and picks. We’ve said it from the beginning.”

Connauton, 33, and Hodgson, 27, amounted to throw-ins to make the money work in this deal.

Despite Provorov’s recent decline and bad press, Brière managed to get a first-rounder this year, two future second-rounders, and a highly-regarded defensive prospect in Grans. In addition, the Flyers took on two veteran players — and their contracts — in Petersen and Walker to help L.A. free up salary-cap space.

The Flyers already possessed the No. 7 pick this year in a strong draft class. Now, they have two first-rounders.

“Having a chance to get a No. 22 was critical to the deal for us,” Brière said.

» READ MORE: The Flyers have options with the No. 7 pick, but why not swing big for a potential star?

Adding a pair of future second-round picks also should not be overlooked as the Flyers embark on their rebuild. The organization has now added several prime picks in the next few drafts in return for Claude Giroux and Provorov.

In terms of personnel, the 21-year-old Grans is the most important piece for the Flyers. The 35th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Grans is a big body (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) with good skating and passing skills. He has played the last two seasons in the AHL with Ontario, and two seasons ago had seven goals and 24 points in 56 games. Brière said that he doesn’t know much about the Swedish defenseman yet and that he deferred to the Flyers’ scouts for their expertise on the player.

The Flyers also added a veteran goalie to a young goalie group in the 28-year-old Petersen. His save percentage has slipped dramatically over the last two seasons (.868 last year), and he carries a hefty $5 million cap hit for the next two years.

Taking on Petersen’s undesirable deal landed the Flyers some future assets and the team could also view him as a potential reclamation project. Petersen was viewed highly by the Kings entering the 2021-22 season after posting an impressive .916 save percentage over 52 games from 2018-21. His arrival also gives the Flyers another NHL option if the team was to trade starter Carter Hart.

Finally, Walker is a solid depth defenseman who will not replace Provorov but is capable of logging 15-plus minutes a night at the NHL level. At 28, he doesn’t really fit the team’s rebuild timeline, but he can fill an immediate role and be a veteran influence for the team’s young defensemen. A good skater, Walker has a manageable cap hit of $2.65 million for just this season, so the Flyers aren’t making a long-term commitment to him, either.

Grade: A

For a young general manager with no prior experience, it’s a bold move and one that sets the tone for what Brière intentionally labeled a rebuild. The Flyers love their new tagline “new era of orange,” and this trade proves that’s more than just a fancy catchphrase.

Brière managed to work out a deal that satisfies all parties involved.

“Columbus gets the best player in the deal,” Brière said. “At the moment, L.A. gets their cap space expanded a little bit. And we get the prospect and the draft capital. So we all get something that we wanted.”

On the Flyers’ end, Brière deserves high marks for what is a fantastic move considering the team’s direction.

They were able to start their rebuild by moving on from a player whose progress had stalled, who doesn’t fit the timeline, and who seemed to have grown unhappy in Philly. In return, they got three high draft picks, including a first-rounder in a strong 2023 draft class, as well as a highly touted prospect. While they took on two contracts, one ends after one season and the other after two. If Petersen doesn’t work out, they can stash him in the AHL, and if he does rediscover his game, then the Flyers add goaltending depth.

Considering the added draft capital, the stage of the rebuild the organization is in, and Provorov’s recent decline, Brière couldn’t have fared much better.

And he’s not done yet.

“We’re open for business,” he said Tuesday.