Flyers Trade Simon Gagne To The Tampa Bay Lightning

[Insider]

The Philadelphia Flyers do something they should have done two years ago!

Today the Philadelphia Flyers traded their left winger Simon Gagne to the Tampa Bay Lightning. In exchange they will get veteran defenseman Matt Walker and a fourth round pick in the 2011 draft.

Matt Walker is a 6'4", 215-pound big, tough, stay at home defenseman with a right handed shot that will solidify the Flyers unbalanced defense so that the stalwarts don't have to play as much. He's also a gritty guy who won't be intinidated.

Simon Gagne played 10 injury plagued seasons with the Flyers, and in my view this trade was overdue. And make no mistake about it, this trade was as much to reduce their current payroll as it was to shore up their defense. Because Gagne would have made $5 million in the last year of his contract with the Flyers. Gagne, thanks for the memories, Goodbye!

[Eraser X]

 The ladies will miss him, but I won't miss him. After 10 years here, it is a shame that for most fans, it is just a shrug of the shoulders with him leaving. I think more than anything that shows that he really didn't make a great impact of Philadelphia Flyers fans. He was an above average player who never did anything outstanding in the playoffs, before this year. Irt was time to let him go. At least this way they get something for him, rather than keeping him around a few more years and watching him retire.

[Flyersfan]

He'll be missed. With 17 goals and 23 assists in 58 games last yeason, despite the fact that he was injured, thew Flyers are going to find it hard to replace that offensive production. Plus don't forget that he was big in the playoffs. Gagne had nine goals and three assists in 19 playoff games. Not bad! He was no non-factor, he's going to be missed.