Confirmed with Link: Flyers Acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit From Toronto Maple Leafs In Exchange For Sam Ersson, Emil Andrae, and '26 3rd Round Pick

[MJL66]

It does prove a point. It’s an extreme example. But it proves a point. Crosby is likely to give you the same 2 good years that Woll is under contract for. And he’d make a much bigger impact than Woll. And yes, Martone obviously has more future value than Andrae + a 3rd, but the point is we gave up a defenseman whose rights we had till 2029 and a draft pick we’d have the rights for for 6+++ years for 2 years of a backup goalie.

No, it wouldn’t, which is exactly my point.

Crossing sports here for a minute, but the Phillies traded for JT Realmuto in 2019. He had 2 years of team control left. Realmuto was amazing for the Phillies in those 2 years. Best catcher in baseball. It meant nothing because the rest of the team was mediocre and they were not contenders, didn’t even make the playoffs those 2 years. They then signed him to a 5 year deal at market value which they could’ve done without making the trade (he mostly lived up to that contract, but it wasn’t a “good deal”, it was fair market value). Now the prospects the Phillies gave up ended up fizzling out / being nothing. But they had a ton of value back then. They could’ve been used for a player with more team control. Or traded the following year when the team was closer to being a contender.

The Flyers goalie situation (extending Vladar for 5 years) combined with the state of Woll’s current deal (expensive for a backup + only under contract for 2 years) basically limits the future upside of this deal to zero. If he’s great and stays healthy, you might get the privilege of signing a previously injury prone goalie to a long term deal at the prevailing market price. If he’s average or bad or injured, you overpaid for 2 years of him.

In all likelihood, Andrae is just a cheap 3rd pairing defenseman. In all likelihood, that 3rd round pick would’ve never made the NHL. But there’s also a world where Andrae becomes something better. There’s a world where that 3rd turns into Marchand or Point or Fox or Protas or Dorofeyev.

There’s no world short of hoisting a cup where the 2 years of Woll that we traded for provide a non-contending team value worth giving up future assets.

This guy gets it!

 

[GKJ]

Woll was pretty good in 24/25 but he wasn't good this past season. He was a -6.6 on goals saved above expected this past season. Just a gut feeling but this smells like a team getting out of a contract for a player with physical issues to me. Hope I'm wrong.

Getting out where they have depth at the position.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

People losing their minds over Benoit is crazy. He makes 1.3m and is a pending UFA next season. Leafs fans say he was a decent 3rd pair guy that played hard. So if he’s in a 6/7 role, then who cares? If he’s bad then you bench him or just move him at the deadline.

ah, the old standby... #sameasiteverwas...

 

[Flyerfan4life]

View attachment 1255062

This was Benoit at his peak.

He might be one of the worst defensemen to get regular NHL minutes since he came into the league.

perfect Flyer..

hes gunna be a roster staple..

 

[trostol]

That’s exactly what it is. We don’t get Woll without losing Andrae. And I’d much rather have Woll. Ersson sucks and cost us a lot of games last year.

People losing their minds over Benoit is crazy. He makes 1.3m and is a pending UFA next season. Leafs fans say he was a decent 3rd pair guy that played hard. So if he’s in a 6/7 role, then who cares? If he’s bad then you bench him or just move him at the deadline.

Like they moved Risto? They do this a lot...and the fans say the same thing..we can move him at the TDL..or it will be easier in the summer

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

 

[Larry44]

Disagree on Woll. If he is healthy he will give the Flyers the best goalie tandem they have had in a while. He has proven he can run with the 1A position if needed

Heard Briere on TSN radio Toronto. Said same stuff as the presser. Sam needed a change of scenery but played great down the stretch. Said Benoit wasn’t necessarily a 6/7, could earn more ice. That was delusional. I liked him in the ‘25 playoffs, he played well, but he’s not going to be better than that.

 

[trostol]

Reddit likes it so I am more..meh about

Also one poster said it was DBs greatest trade

 

[Magua]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

 

[Rebels57]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

They can still draft one this year but they'll need to trade one by the time he's NHL ready lol

 

[Larry44]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly?

Heard him say this on the radio. Don’t need Buium or Andrae because of the Cam and Jamie show and you can only have 2 small D.

 

[Rebels57]

Heard Briere on TSN radio Toronto. Said same stuff as the presser. Sam needed a change of scenery but played great down the stretch. Said Benoit wasn’t necessarily a 6/7, could earn more ice. That was delusional. I liked him in the ‘25 playoffs, he played well, but he’s not going to be better than that.

He's not going to publicly put a hard limit on a player he just traded for. More for the player than anyone else. Internally I would imagine they see him as a 6/7.

 

[CerpinTaxt]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

My god this management is so myopic. Can't draft Buium cause we have too many small Dmen. Whoops can't have Andrae anymore cause we have too many small Dmen. Paging @TheKingPin moves that might make DB the best GM

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

They can still draft one this year but they'll need to trade one by the time he's NHL ready lol

How soon until 6 foot is too small?

 

[Larry44]

My god this management is so myopic. Can't draft Buium cause we have too many small Dmen. Whoops can't have Andrae anymore cause we have too many small Dmen. Paging @TheKingPin moves that might make DB the best GM

Actually, at the time of passing on Buium, he mentioned already having Andrae and the Bobsy Twins as the reason. Now Emil’s out too.

 

[Larry44]

How soon until 6 foot is too small?

Wait for it ……… there it is.

 

[Adam Warlock]

This is just nonsense and you're better than this. You really think they want to play Benoit over:

1. Sanheim
2. Ristolainen
3. Drysdale
4. York
5. Seeler
6. Bonk (a Briere pick who they dressed in a playoff game with 1 game of NHL exp)
7. Jiricek (who Briere traded for and is no longer waiver exempt)

Benoit will play, but he's not going to play enough to "cancel out the upgrade from Ersson to Woll."

They have been pretty transparent that they think their defense is too small... I dont think they added a 6'4" guy not to play him. Theyre is still the possibility another D is dealt too. I could also see Tocchet not liking Jiricek.

And yeah I was exaggerating about the Woll impact. The trade is good value wise and was necessary... but getting Benoit is a huge eye roll. They defend fine, where their D struggles is moving the puck up the ice and on the PP. The belief they need big physical defense is their own stupid bias and these biases greatly hold this franchise back. Danny makes some really nice trades only to handicap himself appeasing Jones.

 

[CerpinTaxt]

They have been pretty transparent that they think their defense is too small... I dont think they added a 6'4" guy not to play him. Theyre is still the possibility another D is dealt too. I could also see Tocchet not liking Jiricek.

And yeah I was exaggerating about the Woll impact. The trade is good value wise and was necessary... but getting Benoit is a huge eye roll. They defend fine, where their D struggles is moving the puck up the ice and on the PP. The belief they need big physical defense is their own stupid bias and these biases greatly hold this franchise back. Danny makes some really nice trades only to handicap himself appeasing Jones.

Anyone thinking they acquired Benoit with the intention of not giving him significant playing time has had their head buried in sand for the last 15 years

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Actually, at the time of passing on Buium, he mentioned already having Andrae and the Bobsy Twins as the reason. Now Emil’s out too.

You're of course correct. And yet there is/was still pushback when people said that was why!

Once again, full credit to Charlie for asking that question directly and somehow getting a real answer.

 

[ponder719]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

Flyers replacing the Be a f***ing Flyer sign with a "You must be at least this tall, or boys with Zegras, to dress."

 

[freakydallas13]

They put him in a playoff game after 1 NHL regular season game. Bonks gonna play this year.

They also put Luchanko out there as an 18 year old befor banishing him back to the CHL. You can never underestimate the Flyers' stupidity.

 

[BigToe]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

This is old news. We already know they think like this.

 

[bauer]

ah, the old standby... #sameasiteverwas...

I am very aware of the dumb shit this team frequently does. Of all the things to get upset about (and there are many), losing it over Benoit just isn’t anywhere near the top of the list.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Why does he feel the need to say this publicly? Let poor Toe have another 2 weeks hoping they’ll draft a 5’10 offensive defenseman.

cuz Nurse is coming..

#buckle in

 

[MJL66]

I am very aware of the dumb shit this team frequently does. Of all the things to get upset about (and there are many), losing it over Benoit just isn’t anywhere near the top of the list.

Honestly it should be near the top. Flyers continually overvalue and over play stay at home physical defenders. It is a chronic disease that they have. Look at the Canes defense. Every single top 6 defenseman they have can move the puck in transition. Acquiring Benoit is just more evidence that the Flyers don't know what modern day hockey is about.