The Philadelphia Flyers' James van Riemsdyk has surfaced in trade rumors and speculation ahead of the March 3 NHL trade deadline.

Sitting eight points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff berth, the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to become sellers leading up to the March 3 trade deadline. While scoring leaders such as Travis Konecny and Kevin Hayes have surfaced in trade rumors, James van Riemsdyk is their most likely trade candidate.

The 33-year-old van Riemsdyk is slated to become a UFA on July 1. CapFriendly indicates he carries a $7-million salary-cap hit and lacks no-trade protection. Despite missing the first 15 games of this season with a broken finger, the Flyers winger has 22 points in 39 games.

Teams in the market for a big, experienced scoring winger appear to have the 6-foot-3, 208-pound van Riemsdyk in their sights.

In his Feb. 16 “32 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets were interested in the Flyers forward. Philly Hockey Now's Sam Carchidi suggested the Wild would be the best fit as van Riemsdyk makes his off-season home in Minnesota.

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Giana Han believes van Riemsdyk's skill and hockey knowledge make him a valuable trade chip. She pointed out that young Flyers such as Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett have played their best hockey skating alongside him.

Han felt the Flyers stand a better chance of moving van Riemsdyk if they agree to retain half his salary-cap hit. She thinks the Flyers could get a second-rounder or a combination of lower picks.