What started as a simple offseason possibility has grown into something much bigger.
After a free-agent period in which the Flyers spent over nine million on Braydon Coburn, Andrej Meszaros, Sean O’Donnell and Jody Shelley, it is now being reported by multiple sources that Flyers forward Simon Gagne is expected to become a cap causality.
Former general manager and now Sportsnet.ca analyst Doug Maclean, states via Twitter that it’s just a matter of time.
“According to a Flyer source Gagne has played his last game as a Flyer.”
The same was reported by Sportsnet.ca’s Nick Kypreos, who said …
“Talk of Flyers trying to unload Gagne’s contract to soften cap number. A source confirmed his name was brought up in the Tampa talks.”
Gagne, 30, has a no trade clause and is accompanied by a salary cap hit of $5.25 million for one more season. And due to available cap space, will not likely be re-signed beyond next season. As a result, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren may opt to trade the veteran fan favorite over some younger players, primarily Jeff Carter.
Gagne, who was drafted in the first round by the Flyers in 1998 and ranks as one of the longest tenured Philadelphia athletes, has totaled 524 points in 664 games with the Flyers.
Phila.Bright 
If they do trade him they are retarded! He is their best winger on the team. Trade Carter he can not play the wing and there is not any room for him to play center on the team, so where does carter play 3rd line center or 4th line center, that is a waste of cap space. Briere showed in the playoffs what he can do at center and you cant mess up the chemistry on his line with Hartnell and Leino. If they could trade Carter for Bobby Ryan that would be the best move because it gives the flyers a top line with 3 skilled players in Gagne, Richards, and Ryan and then the other lines are set. if they could get a cheaper semi skilled guy in the trade as well to play with Giroux and JVR then you have 3 solid scoring lines a great checking line as the 4th and arguably the best Defense in the league. What team could compete with that lineup?
Anybody ever heard of a no trade clause. Gagne isn’t going unless he wants to.
Teams will ask a player with a NTC to name a handful of teams he would like to go to. As Paul Holmgren said toward the end of the regular season, no player wants to be where they aren’t wanted.
i wouldnt mind losing gagne if it meant a young low salary goalie coming in like bernier, quick or schneider. then with the savings, it would be possible to grab alex frolov or bobby ryan. i’m not a huge fan of losing gags…but i need to be a realist and know that it “could” make the team better.
Can’t believe they’ll dump Gagne instead of Carter… ridiculous