Philadelphia Flyers trade Sean Walker to Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Johansen, 1st-round pick

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday traded defenseman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round draft pick to the Colorado Avalanche for center Ryan Johansen and a conditional 2025 first-round pick.

According to multiple reports, including Adam Kimelman of NHL.com and Frank Seravalli's Daily Showdown, the 2025 first-round pick has top-10 protection. The Flyers then placed Johansen on waivers, according to El Atlético.

The Flyers acquired Walker from the Los Angeles Kings last summer as part of the three-team swap who sent Ivan Provorov to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Walker arrived in Philadelphia along with goaltender Cal Peterson and defensive prospect Helge Grans.

Walker, 26, scored six goals and 22 points and was a plus-9 in 63 games with the Flyers.

The right defenseman is in the final year of a four-year, $10.6 million contract.

Johansen, 31, has 13 goals and 23 points in 63 games with Colorado this season. According CapFriendlyJohansen has a cap hit of $8 million and has one year left on the eight-year, $164 million contract he signed with the Nashville Predators in 2017.

Philadelphia now has two first-round picks and two second-round picks in the 2025 NHL draft. The Flyers added the second second-round pick in 2025 earlier this season when Gauthier cutter marketed to the Anaheim Ducks for Jamie Drysdale.

Wednesday's trade comes two days before Friday's NHL trade deadline.

Flyers sign Nick Seeler to contract extension

The Flyers also signed defenseman Nick Seeler to a four-year, $10.8 million contract extension on Wednesday.

Seeler's tract has an average annual value of $2.7 million. The 30-year-old's extension begins in 2025-26. Seeler was involved in trade rumors, but the extension will keep him in Philadelphia for the next four years.

The 6-foot-3, 197-pound Seeler has 12 points, 184 blocked shots and is plus-15 in 63 games this season.

Seeler is currently injured and was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday with a lower body injury. The Flyers recalled defenseman Adam Ginning from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.