Flyers Trade Nicolas Deslauriers to Hurricanes

The Philadelphia Flyers have traded veteran enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers to the Carolina Hurricanes. Charlie O'Connor reported that the Flyers will receive a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027 in return.

Feared enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers signed a four-year contract worth $1.75 million in average annual value entering the 2022-23 season. He 195 of his 701 NHL games in orange and black. He will reach unrestricted free agency after the 2025-26 season, and he had no apparent long-term future in Philadelphia.

The stocky 218-pound winger never made significant contributions in the offensive end. His bigger impact was dropping the gloves.

Deslauriers racked up 136 penalty minutes in 80 games during his first season with the Flyers, the only season he spent as a lineup regular. He sat as a healthy scratch for long stretches of the past three seasons during the new front office's efforts to rebuild.

While Deslauriers never played in a playoff game or scored a big goal for the Flyers, fans will remember him for vicious battles like a 2023 tilt with Matt Rempe of the New York Rangers or a 2024 tilt with Ryan Reaves (then) of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He most recently fought Tanner Jeannot of the Boston Bruins on February 28.

The 35-year-old finished his Flyers career with nine goals and 11 assists. He'll play a depth role for the Hurricanes, who are a top contender in the Eastern Conference. He's unlikely to be a regular in the playoff lineup.

The Flyers have sold pieces from their NHL roster at six consecutive NHL Trade Deadlines, including the last three since Danny Briere and Keith Jones took over the front office. They currently sit outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture with slim odds for a late-season push, despite a successful short stretch after the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The seventh-round compensation adds minimal stock to their draft capital.