Flyers make off like bandits in Kimmo Timonen, Braydon Coburn trades

The deal that Ron Hextall made that sent Philadelphia Flyers veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen to the Chicago Blackhawks at the deadline in March was widely considered a good trade at the time.

It looks even better today – and should be labeled as true thievery by the Flyers first-year GM.

When Hextall signed off on it two months ago, the Flyers netted the Blackhawks second round draft pick this year and a conditional fourth round selection in 2016 for the veteran blue liner. It was a favorable haul for a 40-year-old that had been sidelined by blood clots in his lungs for the entire season.

Nearly three months later, it appears that Hextall has completely fleeced his Chicago counterpart, Stan Bowman.

First, the conditional pick has turned into a second-rounder next year. Meanwhile, Timonen has failed to register a point during the regular season or playoffs, was a healthy scratch in the final two games of the Western Conference finals and sat out of the Blackhawks’ 2-1 win over the Lightning in Game One of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night.

The parameters of the deal stated that if the Blackhawks advanced to the conference finals, the pick became a third-rounder. If they reached the Cup – and Timonen played in at least half of the games, which he did – it turned into a second-rounder.

So in review, Hextall gained two second round picks for a player who ended up as a player who is point-less and has averaged less than 10 minutes of ice time a game in the postseason.

Make no mistake, though. No one in Chicago is crying about the deal.

The Blackhawks are three wins away from hoisting their third Stanley Cup in the last five years and leading a parade through downtown before it’s all over. Regardless, at least the Flyers can at least take solace that they provided a better future at Chicago’s expense – and success.

Bolts’ trip to finals hurts Flyers draft order

While Chicago’s run through the West has benefitted the Flyers, Tampa Bay’s unlikely appearance in the Cup finals has had the adverse effect – although it’s a minor one.

The Flyers will get the Lightning’s first-round pick this year in exchange for trading defenseman Braydon Coburn in March. Had the Bolts lost to Detroit in the first round – they were down three games to two – the Flyers would have earned the 22^ndpick.

Instead, the Flyers will get either the 29^thor 30^thselection depending on whether Tampa beats Chicago. Even still, it’s difficult to complain about getting a first-round pick – as well as a third rounder this year and defenseman Radko Gudas – for a player that was expendable.

For what it’s worth

Before the playoffs began, the Metro predicted the Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup – albeit over the Canadians – in seven games.