This time in our 2023-24 Philadelphia Flyers player scoring series, we'll be looking at 29-year-old defenseman Sean Walker. Although he did not complete the season with the Orange and Black as he was traded at the deadline, the contributions he provided should not be forgotten. Just as a Flyer, what grade does he deserve?
Walkers increase their self-worth
Walker was acquired by the Flyers during the 2023 offseason in a three-way trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Los Angeles Kings. The prize for the Blue Jackets was acquiring Ivan Provorov, but the Kings wanted to cut some salary and waived Walker's $2.65 million contract in the process. At his former club, he was seen as just a vertical defender.
In the end, the Flyers received both the best player and the most assets in the deal, receiving one first-round pick and two second-round picks. Provorov was supposed to be the most impactful player, but Walker easily took that title. how was it?
Walker averaged 19 minutes, 36 seconds of ice time with the Flyers, breaking his career-high of 18 minutes, 50 seconds set in 2019-20. That extra ice time wasn't wasted — he earned every second he played. Among Flyers defensemen, he ranked first in even expected goals against percentage (xGF%) at 55.9. The team is much better with him.
Walker was a complete two-way player in the orange and black, scoring 22 points in 63 games and posting a fairly consistent expected goals per 60 (xGA/60) of 2.49. To put this into context, that number ranks him tied for 36th in the NHL among the 145 defensemen who have played at least 1,000 minutes at even intensity.
But what exactly made Walker so valuable? Well, he fit the Flyers' style of play like a glove. He was dominant in transition, great at keeping plays alive in the offensive zone, and excellent in his own zone. He was able to perfectly execute everything head coach John Tortorella preached.
There was some intrigue surrounding his name at the trade deadline because he played so well as a second-pair defenseman in Philadelphia. With only one season remaining on his contract, the rebuilding Flyers team had a big decision to make with him in the lineup and a 32-23-8 record. Will they keep him and make the playoffs or sell his rights to a legitimate Stanley Cup contender?
In the end, the Flyers chose the latter. Walker and a fifth-round draft pick were traded to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a 2025 first-round pick and 31-year-old center Ryan Johansen. That's quite a win for a player who was considered marginally dangerous by his old team just a few months ago. General manager Danny Briere has done a solid job with this move.
Flyer after Walker leaves
Looking at Walker's impact on the ice, it's clear why Philadelphia went 6-10-3 and missed the playoffs after his departure. Among the team's top six forwards based on time on ice, each player's xGF% strength increased by at least 5% compared to when Walker was on the ice versus when he wasn't. Travis Konecny had the biggest increase, by 14.3 percentage points.
Of the 20 Flyers skaters who played at least 20 games, 16 had a higher xGF% than Walker on the ice. As such, the veteran defenseman was arguably the Flyers' most valuable player. They were not complete without him.
To Briere's credit, he had little choice but to ship Walker. There would have been no rational justification for a rebuilder to hold onto a player worth a first-round draft pick. For a team with a good chance of competing in the Stanley Cup, it would have been extremely short-sighted to throw it away. So in hindsight it was the right choice.
That being said, the Flyers may not have been as successful with the trade as they thought. It was a good first-round pick, but it essentially sabotaged their playoff chances in the process. It's not a scam to have to eat up Johansen's $4 million annual salary from 2024 to 2025, and then give the Avalanche a draft pick. Without Walker, the Flyers were one of the worst teams in the NHL, while Colorado only got better.
Walker's final grade
Walker has been extremely important to the Flyers both statistically and based on the eye test, so he should score pretty well. The A rating, the highest on the team, seems to be a given.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers 2023-24 Player Stats: Travis Konecny
Even if Walker becomes a free agent this offseason, it's probably best for the Flyers to move on. A long-term deal doesn't fit into their rebuilding schedule, which is a shame because his tenure in Philadelphia was fun. It won't be easy to find another player like him.
