29-year-old right-handed defenseman Sean Walker, who the Flyers acquired over the offseason as part of the three-team Ivan Provorov trade, has been a surprising positive during the start of the season. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent, and with the Flyers in a supposed rebuild, he could be a hot commodity at the trade deadline. Or do the Flyers retain his services due to an above-average showing during the 2023-24 season?
Keep
The Flyers and their fans have been scarred by lackluster depth players over the past decade, so when one steps up and plays above their expected level, there’s natural interest in keeping him. The team’s defense lacks talent… well everywhere. In fact, if it wasn’t for Sanheim having the best season of his career, there may have been a real case for Walker being the best defenseman on the team this season.
The biggest positive he’s got going for him is the fact he’s a natural righty, a position that has been plaguing the Flyers since Christ was a cowboy. He and Ristolainen are the only two RHD on the entire roster, with Helge Grans, Ronnie Attard and Oliver Bonk the only notable righties in the system.
The coaching staff is putting him everywhere, and he’s doing a good job keeping up with the demands. He’s third on the team in even strength TOI at 17:39, sees 1:13 of powerplay TOI a game ranking 11th on the roster, sits second in PK TOI at 2:26 and third in average TOI with 21:20.
Trade
Walker is basically going to serve as the Flyers’ top trade chip on deadline day, unless they part ways with an unexpected name like Scott Laughton or Travis Konecny. And if he continues to play at the level he has, there’s undoubtedly going to be at least a few playoff teams interested in adding him to their roster.
The Flyers would want to keep him because he’s a solid depth piece that is over-performing, but it’s also the exact reason a legitimate playoff team may pay up in a big way for his services at the deadline.
Walker just turned 29 in early November, which isn’t exactly peak build-around age if they saw him as more than a depth guy. Though it’s a decent enough age to keep him for another year or two to hold down the fort until other answers emerge on the blueline, but that’s where a “classic Flyer” moment bubbles up. Retaining his rights for a few more seasons, squeezing all the blood from his stone, then trying to ditch a massively devalued player a few years from now. It could very well be the difference from a first round pick as compensation at this year’s trade deadline and a random fifth round pick down the road.
Conclusion
The Philadelphia Flyers and asset management go together like oil and water, seemingly no matter who is running the team. The fate of Sean Walker will put the Danny Briere-led front office to the test. Do they value him more as a player or a trade chip?
When depth players unexpectedly excel, it becomes very difficult to put a price tag on the player, wether that comes in the form of a new contract or the value the Flyers could ask for him at the trade deadline.
His last deal was a four-year, $10.6 million ($2.65 aav), which could very reasonably be a similar starting point for a new deal. By no means will he be in bank-breaking territory, but it’s a deal that is far more annoying than it should be. The Flyers have been guilty of signing players to forever contracts lately, which is a major reason why the roster congestion and battle between vets and youth has elevated the way it has.
Then there’s also Walker’s value at the deadline. At this point in time, besides left-handed defenseman Noah Nahifin in Calgary, Walker may be one of the top defenseman available on deadline day. Could they land a first round pick for Walker? It seems a bit steep, but if there’s a desperate team that needs a cheap, red hot RHD, there won’t be a better option out there.
Realistically, there’s just no reason for the Flyers to keep Walker past the trade deadline in March. Unless Briere intends on jump-starting the team during the summer with a goal of not only making, but succeeding, in the playoffs next season, the best move for the Flyers is to garner an asset or two for Walker and look for a legitimate upgrade at right-handed defenseman. And if they decide, for whatever reason, they can’t live without Walker, then at least trade him for a pick at the deadline and re-negotiate with him during the summer like they did with Justin Braun a few years ago.
The 2024 trade deadline will take place on March 8, and it will give us a look into the minds of the Flyers’ front office. After the 2023 offseason when they balked at making some franchise-altering moves, what is their mindset heading into the next big opportunity to change the team? It’s too early to know, but Sean Walker will serve as a measuring stick for whatever it is they have planned.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: Getty Images
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