Philadelphia Flyers trade Sean Walker to Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Johansen, 1st-round pick
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday traded defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the Colorado Avalanche for center Ryan Johansen and a conditional 2025 first-round pick.
According to multiple reports, including NHL.com's Adam Kimelman and Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, the 2025 first-round pick carries top-10 protection. The Flyers then placed Johansen on waivers, according to The Athletic.
The Flyers acquired Walker from the Los Angeles Kings last summer as part of the three-team trade that sent Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Walker came to Philadelphia along with goalie Cal Peterson and defensive prospect Helge Grans.
Walker, 26, scored six goals and 22 points and was a plus-9 in 63 games with the Flyers.
The right-handed defenseman is in the final year of a four-year, $10.6 million contract.
Johansen, 31, has 13 goals and 23 points in 63 games with Colorado this season. According to CapFriendly, Johansen has an $8 million cap hit and has one year left on his eight-year, $164 million contract he signed with the Nashville Predators in 2017.
Philadelphia now has two first-round and two second-round picks in the 2025 NHL draft. The Flyers added the second second-round pick in 2025 earlier this season when they traded Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks for Jamie Drysdale.
Wednesday's trade comes two days before Friday's NHL trade deadline.
Flyers sign Nick Seeler to contract extension
The Flyers on Wednesday also signed defenseman Nick Seeler to a four-year, $10.8 million contract extension.
Seeler's extension carries a $2.7 million annual average value.The 30-year-old's extension begins in 2025-26. Seeler was involved in trade rumors, but the extension will keep him in Philadelphia for the next four years.
Seeler, 6-foot 3, 197 pounds, has 12 points, 184 blocked shots and is a plus-15 in 63 games this season.
Seeler is currently injured and was placed on injured reserve earlier Wednesday with a lower-body injury. The Flyers recalled defenseman Adam Ginning from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
