Giroux to Panthers, Lindholm to the Bruins, Deslauriers to the Wild

by | Mar 19, 2022 | News, NHL, Rumors | 17 comments

The Philadelphia Flyers have traded forward Claude Giroux and minor-league center Connor Bunnaman to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Owen Tippett, a first-round pick in 2024 and a third-rounder in 2023 (as per RDS’ Francois Gagnon) while TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the Flyers will retain 50 percent of Giroux’ $8.275 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Giroux’s no-movement clause gave him full control over this situation and severely limited where the Flyers could ship him. While the Colorado Avalanche were also considered among the bidders, it was apparent in recent days that the Panthers were emerging as the most likely destination.

Philadelphia Flyers trade Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers (NHL Images).

Panthers general manager Bill Zito was considered to be in “go-for-it” mode this season with his club riding high in the Eastern Conference standings. Having bolstered his blueline earlier this week by acquiring defenseman Ben Chiarot from the Montreal Canadiens, he’s provided additional firepower to his forward lines with Giroux.

A versatile, productive forward who can play all three forward positions and is among the best faceoff men in the league, the 34-year-old Giroux will provide the Panthers with veteran experience and leadership to go with his impressive skill set. It’ll be interesting to see where they put him on their already deep forward lines.

The return for the Flyers probably won’t sit well with their fans. Considering the Panthers were believed the only serious bidder, this is the best they could get.

Tippett, 23, should provide some immediate help and will have an opportunity to get his NHL career on track after seeing checking-line minutes with the Panthers. The first-rounder is worthwhile but it’s two years from now. Still, this return is quite light considering the harvest the Anaheim Ducks got from the Boston Bruins for Hampus Lindholm.

The Anaheim Ducks trade defenseman Hampus Lindholm and minor league blueliner Kodie Curran to the Boston Bruins for a first-round pick in 2022, a second-rounder in 2023 and a second-rounder in 2024, along with defensemen Urho Vaakanainen and John Moore. The Ducks will also retain 50 percent of Lindholm’s $5.205 million cap hit.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Having traded Josh Manson to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has shipped out another of his veteran defense core in Lindholm after failing to reach an agreement on a contract extension. The 28-year-old blueliner is slated to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

This is a significant addition for the Bruins, who’ve been lacking skilled top-four left-side blueline depth since Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug departed via free agency two years ago. The 6’3, 208-pound Lindholm plays a solid all-around game and can log big minutes. He’ll lift some of the defensive burdens from Boston’s top rearguard Charlie McAvoy.

It remains to be seen if Lindholm will be merely a rental player or if the Bruins can re-sign him. It’s believed his insistence on a seven- or eight-year deal was the factor that scuttled his contract talks with the Ducks. Bruins GM Don Sweeney has a history of re-signing notable pending free agents acquired by the trade deadline (hello there, Taylor Hall) so perhaps he’ll take a stab at retaining Lindholm if he proves a good fit in Boston.

Verbeek has signaled the rebuild is on for the Ducks considering the draft picks he’s getting in this deal to go along with the 2023 second-rounder he got from the Avalanche in the Manson trade and the 2023 third-rounder he’s getting from the Wild. The Ducks are also getting a 23-year-old defenseman in Vaakanainen who had difficulty cracking the Bruins blueline but could have a better opportunity to reach his full potential with the Ducks.

The Ducks also trade forward Nicolas Deslauriers to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a third-round pick in 2023.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: Wild GM Bill Guerin decides to add some muscle to his checking lines for the playoffs. Deslaurier, 31, is a big, physical depth forward with 10 points and 90 PIMs in 61 games with the Ducks this season. He’s also an unrestricted free agent this summer.







17 Comments

  1. Good haul for Philly. Tippett a 1st and a 2nd.

    • Worse than some speculated but better than the hall trade. Not terrible.

  2. Philly fans might not be over joyed with return, but blame Giroux for that. He limited the market with his veto power

    • Bruins might have given up a lot for Lindholm but solves their biggest need in preparation for the playoffs. The Bruins also did not have to give Lysell or Lohrei and also kept Debrisk to use in another trade.

      • I think it’s a good trade. Lindholm is excellent. Priority numbrer 1 should be locking him up for 6 years.
        The price was a little steep, but we also get out from under Moores contract.
        Who else will join the ranks? What’s out there for a 2C? Monahan?

      • Gonna take an $8M x 7 yr contract to keep him.

  3. glad the avs “missed” on this if the rumors were justin barron and a first rd pick

    • I seen 8yrs at $52 this morning and sounds like close to happening. I think it is a great deal – 2 seconds hopefully low in the draft and a first probably around 20 posn. Vaakaninen wasn’t going to make a huge splash in Boston and they got rid of Moores contract help in another deal now. So the wild card is signing him and I think it will happen. 8 years is a long time for a 28 yr old I have to admit.

  4. Philly did ok in the Trade Two picks and a a potential good player….

    What about Flurry
    MAF The Best Goaltender Avalable that could put any team over….i think will end up moving to a Team of his choice …? but it maybe just a 2nd rd pick
    As he wants to get one more chance to help Win a cup….

    #1 Home to the Penguins✔️
    #2 Back to Vegas if they kiss his Ass…..🤔⁉️
    #3 Maple Leafs….🤮

    food for thought?

  5. I’d say the Bruins over paid by a 2nd rounder but the fact the Ducks are taking on Moore’s full contract and retaining half Of Lindy’s salary it was worth it. Bruins gain a hair of cap space in the deal.leaving room for another move.And there’s no way Sweeny gave up that much for a rental. Still have DeBrusk if a move can be made if not I’m good with him staying and even walking at seasons end. Bruins D is definitely improved by this move.
    Mac Lindy
    Grizz Carlo
    Forbort Reily. Not bad on paper but am hopeful they can land a guy with serious sandpaper and grit. Either a D or forward. Second line center is the only other issue at this point. Middleton but the price is said to be a second. Liam O’Brian would be a guy I’d like on forward and definitely cheaper than a 2nd. As for remaining chips I’d say DeBrusk Studnicka Clifton and Zboril are in play and would add Luhrei for the right deal. No one gets Lyell tho lol he’s staying put.

  6. There was supposedly a deal on the table
    Hagel and Fleury coming to Toronto

    Tampa stepped up their offer big time , stole the thunder from underneath them ..

    Too bad … would of been an ideal fix , trade !

    Irregardless , these 2 Florida teams are on a mission

  7. Leafs supposedly had a deal on the table
    Hagel and Fleury coming to Toronto
    Would of been an ideal “fit” trade for Toronto
    Tampa won out in the end , old news now !

    • Maple Leafs still need Major Help on the Blue Line for sure…its Mediocre at Best and not good enough to help out with Mediocre Goaltending at the same time….!!

      Goaltending is a Big Leaf Concern also , if they want to go somewhere past the first round and if
      Jack Campbell cant get any better from his Craked Ribs that not a good one for a goaltender

      after JC they got Marazik & the New Kid 🙈 They will get Slaughtered

      Then Dumbas will get Fired & the Maple Leafs will be out the first Round five years in a Row…..⁉️

      Then the New GM will come in and Trade Mitch Marrner for a d/man & Goaltender and fix it….
      Then
      Austin Mathews has 2 years after this then he is going home to Arizona as a UFA…100%✔️

  8. Good trade by the Bruins, better trade if they can get a contract extension done and would’ve been a still better trade if Nicolas Deslauriers came along with the LD …… somebody has to protect their stars in the playoffs

    • The contract is done already thus the high price they paid. Ducks gave Bruins the right to talk contract w him prior to trade. They are just ironing out details to announce today.

      The two trades are not comparable as Giroux is a 34 yr old rental. W that said, Flyers did pretty well here.

      • This trade saved Sweeney’s job. No one wants to give up a number 1 pick but unless you are a Pasternak or Mcavoy you are not talking about playing in the NHL right away and the Bruins and their fans need to win now because of their aging stars. With the extension , the salary retention and dumping Moore and his ridiculous salary, the Bruins actually saved around a million dollars. I have not been a Sweeney fan but this was a good move which solved a glaring weakness.

  9. I have to admit as a Sweeney basher that I like the trade.He stopped fishing for spare parts and got a. bonafide top pair defensemen.Will help Mcavoy enormously When they get used to each other they will play 25-30 minutes a night.Also frees up Forbort and Carlo to be a sutdown d pair to kill penalties leaving 47/73 time to play offensive zone minutes.Plus they can leave the 1st PP unit alone and build a second one around Lindholm.