The Blue Jackets are getting Ivan Provorov, while the Flyers are getting Cal Petersen, Sean Walker and more assets from Columbus and the Kings.

The Stanley Cup hasn't been handed out yet, but that hasn't stopped the trade market from kicking into overdrive. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets pulled the trigger on a massive three-way deal on Tuesday, acquiring defenseman Ivan Provorov from the Philadelphia Flyers via the Los Angeles Kings. The Flyers get the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NHL draft and a conditional 2024 or 2025 second-rounder from the Blue Jackets. 

The Flyers are also acquiring goalie Cal Petersen, defenseman Sean Walker, prospect Helge Grans and a 2024 second-round pick from the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings get forward Hayden Hodgson and D-man Kevin Connauton from the Flyers and are retaining 30 percent of Provorov's $6.75-million salary while unloading Petersen's contract.

What a way to kick off a sure-to-be wild summer. 

Heading to Columbus, Provorov will instantly give the Blue Jackets another minute-munching defender with experience playing top-four minutes. As to whether those minutes were good, however, is more of an issue. Provorov struggled mightily in Philly over the past few seasons, bottoming out in 2022-23 by finishing with a mere six goals and 21 assists in 82 games while logging over 23 minutes in nightly ice time. While the Flyers were indeed one of the worst teams in the NHL, Provorov didn't exactly help them get any better. The 26-year-old was among the least effective defenders in his own zone at even strength and also struggled to drive possession offensively.

Perhaps a fresh start is what the former seventh overall pick from 2015 needs to turn it around. But, as of now, his results are not promising. Provorov also made headlines in January for choosing to sit out of the Flyers' warmup for religious reasons on their Pride night, which featured the team wearing Pride-themed jerseys.

The Flyers, on the other hand, kick off the Keith Jones-Daniel Briere era with a bang, jettisoning a mediocre defenseman from their roster while stocking their draft cupboard with a collection of high picks and a goalie who could use a change of scenery. Given that the Flyers are not expected to contend in any serious fashion for the next few years, they should be grabbing all the future assets they can get. And that's precisely what they've done here. 

As for the Kings, Los Angeles breaks up their glut of defensemen by dealing Walker while also clearing some cap room for what could be a very active summer. With defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov set to become a free agent, the Kings seem intent on re-signing him, which the money freed up by this move helps get them closer to.