Is Flyers Best Trade Route For A Current AHL Goaltender?
While the focus in Philadelphia right now is what decision GM Ron Hextall makes with regards to the team's goaltending situation and what direction he goes - does he call up Dustin Tokarski, trade for a goalie - is it possible that a goaltender that is currently in the American Hockey League (AHL) is the best route to acquire a proven, cost-effective stopgap while Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth are on the shelf?
Calvin Pickard has been stowed away in the minors with the Toronto Maple Leafs after they acquired him earlier this season in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights (VGK acquired TOR's 2018-6th round pick and forward Tobias Lindberg), and has formed a dynamic duo with Garret Sparks with the AHL's Toronto Marlies. The two goalies are currently first and second in the league in both goals-against average and save percentage.
Pickard is 17-5-0 in 22 AHL appearances this season, recording a 1.86 goals-against average and .931 save percentage to go along with a 23-save shutout back on January 20th. He's won each of his last seven starts despite appearing in just four of Toronto's last nine games in splitting time with Sparks.
Why Pickard? There's plenty of positives here for the Flyers.
He's a proven NHL commodity.
Pickard, 25, posted a 15-31-2 record with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage in 50 games with Colorado in 2016-17. The 49th overall selection in the 2010 Draft, Pickard has spent parts of the previous three seasons in the NHL with the Avalanche - compiling 86 NHL games in his first five years at the pro level.
He's cost-controlled.
Pickard is on a one-year, $1 million contract this season and is set to become a restricted free agent at season's end, the latter of which gives the Flyers leverage in the decision-making process this summer on whether to retain Pickard for next year as a potential NHL backup or trade a goaltender down the road to keep it open for the plethora of goalie prospects in the system nearing entrance to the pro game.
He's cost-effective.
There's nothing that says Toronto has made Pickard available in a potential trade, but with the trade deadline a week away if Pickard isn't seen as a future Maple Leafs goalie than there might not be a better time to move him and recoup a better draft pick than the sixth round pick they dealt to Vegas to acquire him in October.
What would it take to acquire Pickard?
It's clear that Hextall doesn't want to overpay for a short-term solution or 'rental' player, especially if Michal Neuvirth's latest injury isn't significant and only a week or two absence. I think it's worth noting that the Flyers have two fifth round picks in the 2018 NHL Draft - their own and the 5th round pick they acquired from Arizona in the trade that sent goalie prospect Merrick Madsen and forward Nick Cousins to the Coyotes organization last off-season.
Would a mid-round pick, say a fourth rounder, be enough? If so, make that trade yesterday. Perhaps a similar type of return that Toronto provided to acquire Pickard earlier this season - a late-round pick and prospect - would be necessary.
Either way, a low-risk low-cost type move with Ron Hextall involved in making the deal is a likely scenario regardless of whether or not it's a trade with Toronto for Pickard.
