All class from the Flyers.
When it's all said and done, nobody can argue that the Philadelphia Flyers don't do right by their players, and especially the veterans who grind away and put their time in.
On March 6, prior to the NHL trade deadline, the Flyers made a somewhat surprising trade, sending veteran tough guy Nick Deslauriers to the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes.
All the Flyers got in return for that trade was a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick, which they won't receive as Deslauriers did not play in half of the Hurricanes' playoff games.
So, the Hurricanes got Deslauriers for free, and three months later, Deslauriers was rewarded with the first Stanley Cup of his NHL career.
Even though they made the playoffs themselves, the Flyers gave Deslauriers, 35, a true chance at a championship, and inadvertently helped him along the journey after getting swept by Carolina in the second round.
At the end of the day, though, this trade worked out perfectly for both sides, even if it appears to be a nothing deal on paper.
The Flyers showed the NHL world and their younger players that, if you are a good teammate and work hard, you will be rewarded in this league.
Of course, not everyone does that, and the NHL is a business, but the Flyers did the right thing.
By extension, by trading Deslauriers, the Flyers opened up a roster spot and lineup spot for those younger players, such as Alex Bump, Nikita Grebenkin before his injury, and Denver Barkey.
The Hurricanes assuredly benefitted from Deslauriers' experience, toughness, and locker room presence down the stretch; even an analytics maven like Eric Tulsky went out of his way to pick up the enforcer for a reason.
Deslauriers, alongside former Flyers teammate Sean Walker and ex-Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, is now a Stanley Cup champion, reaching hockey's pinnacle after a long ride.