There are now at least four teams are keeping a close eye on Wayne Simmonds, and the Flyers could ship out Radko Gudas as well.
- Several NHL playoff contenders are keeping tabs on pending UFA winger Wayne Simmonds, who has had an up-and-down season for the Flyers but would be a big addition to any team with Cup aspirations.
- The Maple Leafs, Predators, Flames and Jets are reportedly interested in the prospect of acquiring the winger. Many more teams are likely to surface in the coming days.
- Predators GM Dave Poile isn't afraid to swing for the fences, so I'd automatically put him in the driver's seat on this one.
- The Maple Leafs don't strike me as a team that wants to go 'all in' and pay big to acquire a physical winger like Simmonds. The team's priority this deadline appears to be on defense - players like Alex Pietrangelo and Brett Pesce are rumoured possibilities.
- The Flyers haven't entirely ruled out an extension for Simmonds, but the longer this drags out, the more likely it is he gets dealt.
- Simmonds has crept up to the top of the NHL Trade Rumour Board and now sits at 75% trade likelihood.
- Another Flyer who has started seeing their name in the rumour mill: Radko Gudas. The truculent blueliner has another year at $3.3 million, which isn't exactly cheap for a guy who doesn't produce much offensively. Nonetheless, the physical element to his game will likely attract a couple of teams in need of defensive depth.
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