9 Year Old Trades Still Paying Dividends for Flyers
In the world of sports, we often hear the famous cliché: “On this trade, we will need a few years to judge just how well the team did with this return”.
That certainly was the case with two blockbuster trades the Philadelphia Flyers made within minutes of each other, on June 23rd, 2011.
Due to a number of circumstances (which we will not get in to), then Flyers GM Paul Holmgren traded fan favorites, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.
After all this time, let’s see just how well the Flyers did with their returns.
Trade #1
Flyers Receive
Winger Wayne Simmonds
Center Brayden Schenn
Conditional 2nd round pick
Kings Receive
Center Mike Richards
Forward Rob Bordson
The Breakdown
Los Angeles Kings
Richards only played 4 seasons with the Kings totaling 46 goals and 133 points in 257 games. He was a minus (-) 21 during that span. He played a big part in helping the Kings win their 1st Stanley Cup, but that seemed to be the beginning of the end of his career. In each of the Kings Cup runs, they rode a hot goalie to victories. Richards quickly found himself in the team’s doghouse following his first season there.
In his final 3 seasons in L.A. Richards posted 12, 11, and 5 goals per season respectively. Due to some personal problems, the Kings terminated Richards’ contract and cut ties with him. Rob Bordson never played in the NHL.
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Flyers
Wayne Simmonds played 8 seasons with the Flyers accumulating 203 goals and 378 points in 584 games with the Flyers. Simmonds quickly became a fan favorite with his power forward style of play. In February of 2019, Simmonds was traded to Nashville for Ryan Hartman and a conditional 4th round pick. Hartman was then traded to Minnesota for current Flyer Tyler Pitlick, who is currently one of the better bottom 6 forwards in the NHL.
Brayden Schenn played 6 seasons with the Flyers racking up 109 goals and 246 points in 424 games. Then due to the Flyers winning the 2017 draft lottery and moved up to the 2nd overall pick in which they selected center Nolan Patrick, they decided to trade Schenn to the St Louis Blues in exchange for 2 first-round picks as well as forward Jori Lehtera. Schenn continues to be an important part of the Blues team, having scored 182 points in 225 games.
With that 2 first-round picks the Flyers selected forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee, both of whom look like they will be a HUGE part of the Flyers future.
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The 2nd Round Pick was traded to Dallas for defenseman, Nic Grossmann, who played 198 games for the Flyers before being traded along with the contract of injured Chris Pronger to Arizona for Sam Gagner. Getting rid of Pronger’s contract off the books was huge for Philly as they got out of cap hell.
9-Year Outlook
Although Richards won a couple of Cups with the Kings, he was only instrumental in one of those runs, barely playing in the second cup run and being on the 4th line when he did.
The Flyers, on the other hand, got 8 years out of Simmonds and 6 out of Schenn, as well as this trade, played a part in getting rid of Pronger’s albatross of a contract. They have 2 stud prospects coming in Farabee and Frost who look like they will be major players for the next dozen years or so and still have Tyler Pitlick on the team directly as a result of this trade. Trade Winner: Philadelphia. Easily.
Trade #2
Flyers Receive
Winger Jacob Voracek
1st Round Pick
3rd Round Pick
Blue Jackets Receive
Jeff Carter
The Breakdown
Columbus Blue Jackets
Carter made no secret of the fact that he did not want to be in Columbus. He only played 39 games for the Blue Jackets scoring 15 goals and 25 points during that span. The Blue Jackets being disappointed with Carter’s attitude and being outspoken about wanting out of Columbus was traded to the Kings after those 39 games.
In return, they received defenseman Jack Johnson and a 1st round pick, with which they selected center Marko Dano. Neither of them worked out in Columbus.
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Flyers
Since Jakob Voracek’s arrival in Philly, he has been one of their better forwards and is still a major part of the team. In 674 games, Voracek boasts 168 goals and 561 points and is still a top 6 forward today. Over the past 9 years, Voracek has played mostly on the top line and has been one of the more dangerous players in the league.
With that 1st round pick, the Flyers selected Sean Couturier. Couturier is a heart and soul type of player and one of the leaders on the Flyers roster. In 9 NHL seasons with Philly to date, he has scored 156 goals and 402 points in 647 games. Coots is the Flyers 1st line center, one of the best 2-way forwards in the league, plays both the power-play and penalty kill, and is always in the conversation for the Selke trophy given to the NHL’s top defensive forward. He is on the verge of his 3rd straight 70-point season.
The 3rd round pick ended up being Nick Cousins. He played 3 seasons with the Flyers scoring 12 goals and 27 points in 107 games. He was then traded to the Arizona Coyotes along with prospect goalie Merrick Madsen, in exchange for winger Brayden Warren and a 5th round pick, which the Flyers used to select defenseman Wyatt Wylie. Wylie is a top-end prospect. This past season with the Everett Silvertips, Wylie led all WHL defensemen with 50 assists and finished second in defensemen scoring with 64 points. He will be a huge part of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the 2020-21 season.
9-Year Outlook
Carter or any of the assets the Blue Jackets got in exchange for him were a complete bust in Columbus, with he himself only playing 39 games there. The Flyers, on the other hand, got 2 of their current top 6 forwards, both of whom are still young and have plenty of hockey in them left including their number 1 center.
Both have been Flyers staples in the last 9 years and continue to excel in Philly while also acquiring one of their more exciting young defensive prospects in Wylie. Trade Winner: Philadelphia. Another Easy call.
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So yes, the cliché is true, sometimes you need to take a step back and let some time pass to analyze what the prospects or picks in a trade develop into.
There is no question, that in June of 2011, the Philadelphia Flyers pulled off two incredible trades that continue to pay dividends to this day and for the foreseeable future as well.
Hats off to former Flyers GM Paul Holmgren.
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