The first big trade of the NHL offseason has happened before the offseason truly begins. The Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings are involved in a three-team trade involving five players and three draft picks.
The Flyers received a first-round pick in this year's draft and two second-round picks. They also got goaltender Cal Petersen and two other players.
The Blue Jackets get defenseman Ivan Provorov and Kevin Connauton. Provorov played in every game for the Flyers last season, scoring 27 points with six goals and 21 assists. Provorov proved to be one of the most durable players in the league across his first seven seasons, playing all 82 games in a season four times.
Connauton is going back to the Blue Jackets after spending two seasons in Columbus from 2014-2016.
The Kings don’t play a major part in this trade, they'll just take some of Provorov's salary onto their books.
It might seem weird to see a trade announced while the Stanley Cup Final is still going on, but there really is no offseason in the NHL for front office executives. They're always using the phone to discuss league happenings and possible deals.
The Flyers are trying to accelerate their rebuild so adding draft picks, especially first-rounders, is a good sign that things are moving in the right direction. Moving on from Provorov saves the Flyers $6.7 million by moving him with two years left on his contract.
The new NHL season will officially start at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in Nashville on June 28.
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