Despite being benched just a handful of games into the new season, one struggling Philadelphia Flyers defenseman has at least one admirer out in the Western Conference.
On Friday afternoon, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reported that the Calgary Flames, who did business with the Flyers as recently as January with the Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee trade, are looking for a young defenseman. They also reportedly want to move some defenders out.
”Sounds like the Flames are looking for a young, left shot defenseman with size. They have too many bodies on 1-way deals on defense and want to move some out; Bean and Miromanov being two, I’m told,” Di Marco wrote on his X account.
“PHI’s Zamula, who played JR in CGY, I’ve heard CGY likes.”
If the Flames indeed like Zamula enough to make an offer to the Flyers for his services, there could be mutual motivation to get a deal over the line.
Rick Tocchet Issues Blunt Warning to Struggling Flyers Defenseman
The Philadelphia Flyers may have lost to the New York Islanders in Thursday night’s preseason game, but their continued struggles on defense are of much greater concern.
Zamula, 25, has been on the ice for 11 high-danger chances against at 5-on-5 in his two games this season – having been benched for the Flyers’ last two – and has been on the ice for only three high-danger chances for, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The formerly undrafted Russian’s 27.27% on-ice share of high-danger attempts is the lowest amongst Flyers defensemen by a large margin; Nick Seeler is the next closest at 48.15%.
In addition to Zamula’s performances on the ice, agent Shumi Babaev had some recent viral comments on his client’s perceived lack of opportunity to succeed and reach his full potential, so it’s just another unwanted fire the Flyers may have to put out.
As for Jake Bean and Daniil Miromanov, it’s not likely the Flyers would have much interest in either, though Bean, 27, has 263 games of NHL experience and can move the puck at a high level.
Flyers Reportedly ‘Open’ to Trading Emil Andrae
After Emil Andrae failed to make the Philadelphia Flyers roster out of training camp, the team is reportedly open to moving on from the undersized defenseman.
Bean has one year left on his contract at a $1.75 million cap hit, so if Rick Tocchet and the Flyers want more finesse from the back, that could be an option for them; Bean is 6-foot-1, while Emil Andrae, for example, is 5-foot-9.
Miromanov, 28, is mostly a reclamation at this point, especially given his age. The formerly undrafted Russian has one year left on his deal at a $1.25 million cap hit and finally broke though as an NHLer last season, scoring two goals, seven assists, and nine points in 44 games for the Flames to go with a respectable +2 rating.
The upside lies in his being 6-foot-4 as a right-shot defenseman, but, again, he’s already 28.
As far as defensemen go, the Flames and the Flyers would be making lateral moves unless they find other teams to be takers for these players.
It is, however, interesting that the Flames have interest in Zamula, given that the two teams made a rather large trade with each other earlier in the calendar year.
That line of communication is open, so there certainly could be something there down the road.
