Flyers defenseman Andrej Meszaros says he doesn’t pay attention to the trade rumors that include his name.
“Sometimes you hear stuff and sometimes you don’t,” Meszaros said, per CSNPhilly.com. “I don’t care about that. It’s what the media are saying. It’s not official.
“Until they trade you or do what they need to do, it’s out of my hands. I just have to play my game and it’s up to the staff after that. I’m not thinking about it. I love being here. What happens, happens.”
But with just a year remaining on his contract before he can become an unrestricted free agent, combined with the glut of players on Philly’s blue line -- including young Erik Gustafsson -- CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio argues that “something has to give” before the season starts.
It’s hard to believe the Flyers would keep Gustafsson on the roster as a seventh defenseman knowing the 23-year-old has to play. He can’t sit. And his talent for moving the puck makes it almost mandatory he plays.
They won’t trade him. That would be crazy at this point -- which raises an interesting scenario. Could what we are seeing right now be nothing more than the Flyers “showcasing” Meszaros and trying to prove he is healthy to other clubs, so that they can soon move him via trade?
That makes the most sense.
Of course, even if the Flyers did explore a Meszaros trade, it may be a challenge to get good value in return. With a cap hit of $4 million, Meszaros would be tough to fit on many NHL rosters.
