Flyers trade Sean Walker, 2026 fifth-round pick to Avalanche for 2025 first-round pick, Ryan Johansen

It seems as if trade deadline day came a bit early for general manager Daniel Brière and the Philadelphia Flyers, as they have traded defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round pick to the Colorado Avalanche for a conditional 2025 first-round pick and forward Ryan Johansen.

TRADE ALERT: We have acquired a conditional first-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft and center Ryan Johansen from Colorado in exchange for defenseman Sean Walker and a fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft. https://t.co/aPxszJvZUB

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 6, 2024

Walker was originally acquired by the Flyers from Los Angeles in the Ivan Provorov three-team trade on June 6th, 2023.

The Keswick, Ontario native is in the final year of a four-year contract with a $2,650,000 cap hit. He recorded 6 goals and 16 assists for 22 points to accompany 86 hits, 98 blocked shots, and a +9 rating in 63 games as a Flyer this season.

Walker was highly sought after and has been in trade rumors for a while now, and the return is best-case scenario for the Flyers.

The Avalanche’s 2025 first-rounder is top 10 protected, meaning if the pick ends up being 1 to 10 in 2025, they will exchange their 2026 first round pick instead no matter where that falls.

Johansen is in the penultimate season of his contract, with one year remaining after this one with a cap hit of $4 million. Nashville retained half of his $8 million salary and traded him to Colorado in the offseason. Johansen was immediately placed on waivers by the Flyers after the trade. The 31-year-old Vancouver native appeared in 63 games for Colorado this season, notching 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points.

Should Johansen clear waivers, he can either be assigned to the Phantoms or stay with the Flyers. The latter would end up reuniting him with John Tortorella, who coached him in Columbus for 31 games in 2015-16.