Flyers trade target Nicolas Hague is heading elsewhere before the start of free agency. (Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/8734ce6d-86fc-4b6c-894f-0c37dc8e5dd4.jpeg] Flyers trade target Nicolas Hague is heading elsewhere before the start of free agency. (Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie, Imagn Images) Fortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers], heavily linked trade target Nicolas Hague has been traded to the Nashville Predators, averting a potential disaster. The Hague trade itself wasn't actually that bad. The 26-year-old defenseman fetched the Vegas Golden Knights longtime Predator and fourth-line center Colton Sissons, as well as heavy-hitting rearguard Jeremy Lauzon. The reality is, while the Golden Knights added $4.857 million in salary in the deal, Hague, a pending RFA, would have cost them much more. Upon being traded, Hague signed a four-year, $22 million ($5.5 million AAV) deal with the Predators that would have otherwise made him the fourth-highest paid defenseman in Vegas behind Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Noah Hanifin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/flyers-broker-hanifin-trade-become-middle-man-for-golden-knights]. Lauzon, who can play the same bottom-pairing role for less than half ($2 million) the cost, is a fine addition. Vegas effectively turned Hague [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/flyers-trade-rumors-division-rival-trying-to-hijack-nicolas-hague-trade] into two roster players for the same price on the cap. As for the Flyers, trading for Hague would have been a disaster. Yes, Hague is 6-foot-6, but he averages 17:33 a game on his career and has never cracked 20 points. While he uses his size and reach effectively to defend the rush, the former second-round pick is quite poor in his own end and is regularly critiqued for his lack of foot speed and for watching the puck too often. Flyers Trade Rumors: Big Golden Knights Defenseman Linked to Philadelphia [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/2f68abb5-aaf9-4a53-a533-0424fb4d09ed.webp] Flyers Trade Rumors: Big Golden Knights Defenseman Linked to Philadelphia A Philadelphia Flyers trade my finally be on the horizon, with a new rumor suggesting a big Vegas Golden Knights defenseman could be on the move. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/flyers-trade-rumors-big-golden-knights-defenseman-linked-to-philadelphia] Combine that with the fact his new contract would make him the second-highest-paid Flyers defender behind only Travis Sanheim, and you're flirting with danger on defense. Even after a down year, Cam York, a pending RFA himself, is a much more effective player with significantly higher upside offensively. No, York isn't big like Hague is, but that's why the Flyers went crazy with size in the NHL Draft [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/philadelphia-flyers-leave-nhl-draft-with-2-fatal-flaws] in recent years, drafting hulking righties like Spencer Gill [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/flyers-prospects-end-of-season-rankings-a-dog-and-a-king] and Carter Amico [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers/flyers-prospect-pool-gets-a-big-boost-at-the-nhl-draft-literally]. Plus, if the Flyers really wanted to add size on the left side of their defense, they already have it. Adam Ginning is fighting for his NHL career, and the Flyers really like Hunter McDonald, one of their less heralded prospects. Trade assets and spend big money on Hague, or save the assets and money and give valuable NHL playing time to Ginning or McDonald? The choice was clear, and the Flyers did the right thing by avoiding Hague, if they were ever truly in on him.
