Flyers create salary-cap space

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The acquisition of Sam Gagner has either given Ron Hextall the top-nine forward he coveted or the salary-cap relief he desperately needs. Clarity will come when the free-agent market opens on Wednesday, but it sure sounds like Gagner need not bother looking for local real estate agents just yet.

Hextall on Saturday acquired Gagner from Arizona for defenseman Nick Grossmann and the contract of Chris Pronger, who was still on the Flyers' books despite not playing since 2011 because of a career-ending concussion. Pronger, who is expected to be named a Hall of Famer today along with fellow defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, works in the NHL's player safety division.

In trading Grossmann, whose contract is up at the end of next season, Hextall got about $5.2 million in relief. Pronger's cap hit was $4.94 million. The Flyers are about $7 million under the $71.4 salary cap.

"Make no mistake," Hextall said, "we're still up against it. This doesn't get us out of [our] problems, but we're closer."

The Coyotes did the deal because they are way under the cap floor of $52.8 million. They still need to spend $11 million more.

The Flyers are not sure what they're going to do with Gagner, who also is an unrestricted free agent next year. They could keep him and his $3.3 million cap hit and get rid of someone else. Or they could buy him out at a shade under $1.5 million over two years, according to TSN.

If Gagner plays here, it will have to be as a winger. The Flyers have enough centers and, according to Arizona general manager Don Maloney, Gagner isn't an NHL center anyhow.

Arizona moved Gagner (GAHN-yay) to right wing last season. In 81 games, he had 15 goals and 26 assists. Not exactly prolific, but he was second on the team in scoring. He'll be 26 in August.

Hextall was non-committal on Gagner with the free-agency market set to open in two days.

"We'll make that decision and other decisions we have to make here," Hextall said from the Fort Lauderdale airport following Saturday's draft. "It could be a combination of a few things. I really don't have an answer for you and I don't want to speak before I have all the information in front of me."

Following Friday's selections of defenseman Ivan Provorov and right wing Travis Konecny, a major coup according to most NHL insiders, the Flyers made seven more selections on Saturday.

The headlines were Czech fifth-rounder David Kase (KA-say) and choosing three goaltenders for just the second time in franchise history.

Kase (5-10, 159) is super small, but was rated 11th among European skaters by the NHL's scouting department.

"We didn't think Kase was going to fall to where he did. But he did and we jumped on it," Hextall said. "If you draft a small forward early, you might not want to draft another [right away]. That's why we kind of let Kase fall, because we had Konecny [5-10, 175]. But it gets to a point where we've got to take this guy."

The only other time the Flyboys took three goalies in a draft was 2003, when they selected David Tremblay, Ville Hostikka and Rejean Beauchemin in the fifth and sixth rounds. None ever made it to the NHL.

"Our reserve list on goalies is light. Very light," Hextall said, "and we weren't comfortable with it. We might have overswung, but we're happy with the three guys we got."

Hextall insisted this was not a condemnation of Anthony Stolarz, who had an inconsistent season with the AHL Phantoms, going 9-13 with a 3.28 goals-against average. He split time with Rob Zepp, who will turn 34 in September. Stolarz is 21.

"We're happy with Stolly," Hextall said. "He had a good first half and fell off in the second."

The Flyers used third-round picks on Felix Sandstrom at No. 70 and Matej Tomak at No. 90. They selected Russian Ivan Fedotov in the seventh round, at 188, their final pick of the draft.

Tomak is headed to the University of North Dakota where the Flyers just plucked head coach Dave Hakstol.

"Goalies take time. Kids take time," Hextall said. "We're not disappointed with Stolly, but we've got one young goalie on the depth chart and that's not enough."

If nothing else, Fedotov, the seventh rounder, is intriguing because he's 6-8.

"He's a guy that's a sleeper," Hextall said. "He's green. He's raw. But he's got a big upside. You take a guy in the seventh round, you might strike out. Or you might hit a home run."

Travis Konecny was given the inaugural E.J. McGuire Award by the league's Central Scouting Department. The award will be presented annually to the top draft prospect who "best exemplifies the commitment to excellence through strength of character, competitiveness and athleticism."

McGuire, who was a Flyers assistant coach from 1984-88 and 2001-02, died of cancer in 2011.

"I heard all good things from my agents and people around me about Mr. McGuire," Konecny said. "It's just an honor to get the award. The way my parents [Terri and Rob] brought me up is a huge reason why I have the character I do today."

It was refreshing to hear Konecny call him "Mr. McGuire."

Fun tweet from the St. Louis Blues, who did not have a first-round pick. "Holding out hope that Connor McDavid is still there when we pick at No. 56." McDavid, a projected star, went No. 1 overall to Edmonton. The Blues had to settle for defenseman Vince Dunn at 56.