Which Flyers could be traded during NHL draft?

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Buckle up, Flyers fans. General manager Ron Hextall is expected to be a busy man when the NHL draft kicks off in Sunrise, Fla., on Friday night.

But if there’s one thing we’ve learned after one year with Hextall at the helm, it’s that he will not mortgage the future for a quick fix. He understands the importance of draft picks and intends to give his prospects ample time to develop.

So what does that mean for the current roster? Well, forwards like Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier and Brayden Schenn will likely be safe from draft-day deals. Steve Mason isn’t going anywhere. And on defense? With the current logjam of blueliners under contract, nobody is safe.

Plenty of scenarios could play out this weekend. Hextall might look to acquire future assets, move up in this year’s draft or simply dump salary. The latter would be ideal.

With that in mind, here are a handful of Flyers who could be used as trade bait sometime between Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

Luke Schenn/Nicklas Grossmann
We’re going to lump these two defensemen together because they are in a similar position. Both Schenn and Grossmann have contracts that will expire at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season and own salaries that could be fairly easy to move. Schenn carries a $3.6 million cap hit. Grossmann is right behind him at $3.5 million. Both are serviceable bottom-pair defenders, but are certainly expendable. Schenn is still young, but looks like a fourth defenseman at best. Grossmann is a solid sixth guy on any roster, but his age and durability are areas of concern.

My take: Defensemen who are experienced, physical and can block shots will always have a place in today’s NHL. If the right deal comes along, Hextall should jump at the opportunity to move Schenn and/or Grossmann. There are several teams who need help on defense and will gladly take on heavy contracts in order to get to the cap floor (talking to you Arizona, Buffalo, Edmonton and Florida). Schenn should be able to net the Flyers at the very least a second- or third-round pick either this year or in 2016, and maybe a prospect. Grossmann, on the other hand, is worth a mid-round pick at best.

Vinny Lecavalier
The veteran forward is no stranger to trade rumors. Hextall has openly admitted he has attempted to deal Lecavalier and his $4.5 million cap hit the past two summers but has failed to find a willing trade partner. The former Rocket Richard Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion has had a tumultuous tenure in Philadelphia. He came here to play center for Peter Laviolette and wound up skating as a winger under Craig Berube. Quite frankly, he’s been a horrible fit and it’s shown in his production. He’s posted 28 goals and 29 assists in 126 games for the Flyers. Both sides are looking to move on.

My take: This summer should be no different than the last two. It’s going to continue to be difficult for Hextall to dump Lecavalier’s salary. Let’s face it, teams won’t exactly be lining up to acquire a declining forward with a horrid cap hit. He won’t bring in much of a return, either. But if Hextall can find a suitor, expect him to unload Lecavalier and maybe even give him a ride to the airport.

R.J. Umberger
It’s safe to say Umberger’s first season back with the Flyers didn’t go according to plan. The veteran collected just nine goals and six assists in 67 games before suffering season-ending hip and abdominal injuries. He struggled mightily with consistency and never really gelled with any of the endless line combinations he was placed on.

My take: Umberger is another aging forward with a rather undesirable contract. If a team is willing to take a flier on him and his $4.6 million cap hit, it would be a no-brainer for Hextall to part with the four-time 20-goal scorer. He’d likely have to be part of a packaged deal, however.

Matt Read
Read is an interesting case. He’s coming off a down season in which he registered just eight goals and 22 assists in 80 games. It was later revealed that he was bothered by a high-ankle sprain for over two months, which explained his lack of jump and his sharp decline in production. He’s under contract for three more seasons and carries a manageable $3.625 cap hit.

My take: Read has proved to be an excellent linemate for Couturier and I’m not so sure the Flyers will be looking to part with him. That’s not to say they wouldn’t consider moving him if it meant acquiring future assets. Teams will likely show interest, but my guess is Read stays put.

Andrew MacDonald
That massive six-year, $30 million contract extension in 2014 looks worse and worse with each passing day. He’s underwhelmed to an extreme the past two seasons and has been plagued by inconsistency and injuries throughout his tenure in orange and black.

My take: Crazier trades have happened before, but it’s hard to believe there will be a team that will bite on MacDonald’s contract. He’ll likely be back with the Flyers and will need to step his game up drastically. If Hextall can pull something off, he'd be a miracle worker.

Mark Streit
Two years into his four-year, $21 million deal with the Flyers, Streit has exceeded expectations. He was brought in for offense and has provided the team with the exact offensive-minded, puck-moving defenseman they were looking for. At 37, his trade stock is at an all-time high. He finished 2014-15 with nine goals and 43 assists and took home the Barry Ashbee Trophy as the club’s best blueliner.

My take: Streit can still produce and comes at an affordable $5.25 million cap hit. That could make him an attractive trade candidate. The Flyers might be able to bring back a stronger return at the trade deadline, but if Hextall is wowed by a deal, shedding salary and getting younger on a crowded defense might not be such a bad idea.

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