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NHL trade grade: Capitals trade Matt Niskanen to Flyers for Radko Gudas

By Brad Berreman

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 15: Matt Niskanen #2 of the Washington Capitals moves the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on April 15, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - APRIL 15: Matt Niskanen #2 of the Washington Capitals moves the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in Game Three of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on April 15, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The NHL offseason is young, but the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers have kicked things off with a swap of defenseman.

The St. Louis Blues haven’t had their Stanley Cup parade yet, but the NHL offseason is here and the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers have made a trade to kick things off. The Capitals will send defenseman Matt Niskanen to the Flyers for defenseman Radko Gudas.

Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher declared himself open for business this offseason, as he enters his first offseason in the job. Making his first move as quickly as he did delivers on that idea, with more sure to come surrounding and after next weekend’s draft.

The deal looks to be beneficial for both teams, but let’s take a closer look and deliver grades for each side.

Philadelphia Flyers

Niskanen had 25 points over 80 games this past regular season for Washington (eight goals, 17 assists) with 167 hits, 143 shots and 137 blocks. It was his lowest point total since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, but he also averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game for the seventh straight season.

Niskanen, 32, has two years left on his contract with $5.75 million cap hits each year. He will add notable experience to the Flyers’ blue line, as Fletcher cited in his comments about the deal.

"We’re very happy to have Matt join the Flyers,” Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher. “He is a veteran right-shot defenseman who has a track record of success as a Stanley Cup champion. Having played heavy minutes in all situations throughout his career, Matt will be a steadying influence to our talented and young group of defensemen."

With a lot of cap space and the hiring of Alain Vigneault as coach, the Flyers are a team with an eye on competing immediately next season. Adding Niskanen is a step on that path.

Grade: B

Washington Capitals

Gudas had 20 points during the 2018-19 season for the Flyers, with 255 hits, 133 blocks and 136 shots. He also has just one year left on his contract, with a $3.35 million cap hit, and the Flyers are retaining some of that salary.

The Capitals will save just over $3.4 million in cap space. With decisions to make on restricted free agent Andrei Burakovsky and unrestricted free agents Carl Hagelin and Brett Connolly, having around $12.5 million in cap space now is clearly beneficial.

The Capitals downgraded a bit talent-wise in this deal. But the extra cap space they’ll create and getting the Flyers to eat some of Gudas’ salary for next year offsets that and puts this in the win column for general manager Brian McLellan.

Grade: B

Next. NHL rumors: 5 teams who could trade for Henrik Lundqvist. dark

In Niskanen, the Flyers get an experienced defenseman to bolster a young core on the blue line. The Capitals added a useful potential top-four defenseman in Gudas while adding financial flexibility they needed pretty badly. This isn’t an earth-shattering move for either team, but it is a solid win for both as the first move in an offseason plan.

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