Frustration in Philly likely to lead to blockbuster trade!

I doubt this was general manager Chuck Fletcher’s plan when he brought head coach John Tortorella on board to get the Philadelphia Flyers back on track. It appears that the Flyers are instead on track to be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline, and it was reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman on his latest edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast  that frustration has grown and could possibly cause a move in Philly. The insider has heard defenseman Ivan Provorov’s name come up in the trade market and that there’s a growing sense that the blue liner is frustrated with the situation around him and that the team has an equal amount of frustration.

“There’s something going on here,” Friedman said. “I think it could be something as simple as the Flyers just realize that everything has to be on the table over the next six to 18 months to maybe it’s just time with this particular player. I don’t think this is anything imminent. I think it’s something that might develop over a little while, but I think you’re going to hear his name.”

He reiterated the sense of a possible trade in his latest 32 Thoughts column on Sportsnet:

“I don’t think there’s anything imminent with the Flyers’ Ivan Provorov, but I do think we are headed down the road. He’s frustrated with them, they’re frustrated with him, internally everyone knows who feels what. Another exec made a good point: If you’re Philadelphia, you want to know by this summer anyway if he’s going to re-sign, so the Flyers are just getting ahead of things and doing their work. Crossing Broad’s Anthony SanFilippo had a wild one in his column the other day : that Winnipeg offered a Provorov-for-Patrik Laine deal before the latter was dealt to Columbus, but the Flyers passed because of their belief in the defender. “

Provorov turns 26 in a couple of days and Friedman believes he could benefit from a change of scenery. He suggests the Vegas Golden Knights as a potential destination. There is a link there seeing that GM Kelly McCrimmon, who coached Provorov for two seasons with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings from 2014 to 2016.

If the blue liner is indeed available, the Golden Knights won’t be the only ones taking a look at him. He is a first-round draft pick in 2015 (No.7 overall), who’s excelled in the past - with the right partner. However, he does have two more years left beyond this season on a deal that holds an annual $6.75 mullion cap hit, with just two goals and 14 points in 41 games this season.

Provorov hasn’t progressed in Philadelphia the way everyone expected him to after a sophomore of 17 goals and 41 points … and it might be time for a change as important as a trade. Teams will come calling for his services seeing that there is a belief he could find his stride in a different setting.

But where will that be?

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