NHL trade deadline 2023: Why the Flyers failed to trade James van Riemsdyk, despite rumored Red Wings deal
Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk was a prime contender to be transferred at the 2023 close. Still, the veteran winger remains on Philadelphia’s roster.
Van Riemsdyk was tied to multiple teams before the 15:00 deadline. Avalanche, Kraken, Jets, Wild, Golden Knights and Red Wings were all reportedly interested in the 33-year-old.
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There was even a reported deal between the Flyers and Red Wings just 15 minutes before the deadline. Ultimately, however, the deal fell through and van Riemsdyk stayed in Philadelphia.
Why the Flyers didn’t trade James van Riemsdyk
Speaking to the media right after the deadline, Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher gave an insight into the van Riemsdyk trade talks.
Fletcher said while he’d been working the market for the winger, he hadn’t received a “firm offer” from any team. In fact, he stated that he had not received an offer by 1:40 p.m. on the deadline, less than an hour and a half before the deadline.
He was in talks with a team about a trade concept, but that depended on the club making a further move beforehand.
Although he didn’t specify who the team was, you could put two and two together and figure out that the Red Wings were the team he was referring to.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported earlier in the day that van Riemsdyk would likely head to Detroit to await another deal. This deal eventually never materialized and a deal by van Riemsdyk with the Red Wings was nullified.
Fletcher said he made it clear to applicants that van Riemsdyk was available. It was previously reported that the Flyers were looking for a third-round pick in exchange for van Riemsdyk, but according to GM they were “The market spoke, and it shouldn’t be.”
The only moves Fletcher made in the end were taking Patrick Brown to the Senators for a 2023 sixth-round pick and sending Zach MacEwen to the Kings for forward Brendan Lemieux and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
It’s hard not to see that deadline as a failure for the Flyers. Fletcher had the opportunity to swap loanees van Riemsdyk and defender Justin Braun but failed to find a deal for either. There were reports that forward Kevin Hayes and defender Ivan Provorov were available, but those two remain Flyers as well.
For a team that won’t make the playoffs and should probably try to enter the Connor Bedard Sweepstakes instead, Fletcher’s inaction by deadline doesn’t steer the team in the right direction.