Flyers trade Mark Streit to Tampa for draft picks, Valtteri Filppula

The Flyers pulled the trigger, sending yet another defenseman to Tampa Bay (where they sent Braydon Coburn) in Mark Streit, the team’s elder statesman and locker room leader.

Streit will jump into the middle of a playoff race and a team poised to make a run at another Stanley Cup.

In return, Philadelphia GM Ron Hextallwas able get a decent return, with veteran forwardValtteri Filppulaheading north along with afourth round and conditional seventh round selection in the 2017 NHL draft.

Filppula has one year remaining and $5 million on an expiring contract. He was sent to Philly to open a little cap space for the team next season and also provides Philly some help offensively — as he has scored 34 points, with 27 assists with the Lightning.

The move also conceivablypaves the way for a young defenseman to work his way onto the Flyers’ roster if the team falls out of playoff contention.

Minutes before the deadline Streit was moved a second time when the Penguins announced that they had acquired Streit from the Lightning in exchange for a 2018 fourth-round pick.