The basic question is whether saving $4.6M against the cap each of the next three seasons is worth trading back from 17 to 31 in this draft?
For Philly, it might. They have roughly $9.2M in cap space to play with (Pronger will go on LTIR and free up $4.9M) and roughly 6 spots to fill.
Pretty much this. One its merits, this trade doesn't make sense.
Hartnell, Productive, Umberger, on the verge of being waiver bait for a CBO.
Sure, Hartnell IS movable. My guess is several teams would have had interest in him if he was shopped openly. If the Flyers were willing to retain 1.5 million or so a year? Would have been able to get something more than umberger for him. They likely could have traded Hartnell out of the division, gotten a decent return.
However, if the plan is to move an asset for another team to use their CBO? This deal then makes a good bit of sense. Teams were likely asking quite a bit for a 15 million CBO of Hartnell. A 9.2 Million CBO would cost them less in assets. IMHO, this deal, after all is settled, will be about clearing cap space. It seems like a Philly-type move.