Ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline, the market is flush with right-shot defenseman, which works for and against the Philadelphia Flyers. If they want to add, though, now might be a good time.
With Western Conference contenders like Edmonton and Dallas adding the likes of Tyler Myers and Connor Murphy, respectively, the Flyers are rapidly losing trade destinations for veteran Rasmus Ristolainen.
Still, Buffalo, Detroit, and Boston remain as legitimate, but overall less likely, trade partners for Ristolainen and the Flyers.
And should the Flyers end up dealing Ristolainen like everyone expects them to, they can quickly pivot up the turnpike and replace him with a younger, exciting, and more talented option.
On Wednesday, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun reported that the New Jersey Devils are fielding calls on 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec as they work through their defensive logjam and attempt to find some long-term roster clarity.
The Flyers, of course, are flush with middle-six options that would help their Metropolitan Division rivals out at the cost of a future top-four defenseman.
Names like Bobby Brink, and Owen Tippett, especially, make the most sense for the Devils, as do Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates.
The Devils badly need center depth and complementary pieces for Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, and Tippett, Cates, and Foerster should all be enough to begin moving the needle for Nemec.
As we know, the Flyers are eventually going to need to move out bodies on their flanks to make room for their youngsters.
Porter Martone is virtually earmarked for an NHL role next season, and Denver Barkey has been earning his keep as an injury replacement for Foerster. Nikita Grebenkin could always take on a larger role, and players like Alex Bump and Shane Vansaghi will eventually make their ways into the lineup, too.
We'd also be unwise to rule out forwards Jack Berglund and Jett Luchanko for NHL roster spots next season.
It's not overly common for two rivals to make a deal of this magnitude, but this would work out very well for both sides.
Tippett should be the Devils' first choice, even if there is some extra work to be done in regards to the salary cap afterwards. Then, a top-six role immediately opens up for Martone out of college.
The Flyers' defense would then boast both Nemec and Jamie Drysdale with Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, and Carter Amico still on the way. Presumably, one of those players would be swapped with a left-shot option to balance things out.
Nemec, 22, has 21 points in 47 games this season and has taken a real step forward at both ends of the ice.
Provided Travis Sanheim moves back to the left side for the Flyers, Nemec immediately becomes their No. 1 right-shot defenseman.
If the two sides can get a beneficial deal done, the opportunities to get the rebuild going again would be nearly endless for the Flyers.