PHILLY (AP) -
All season long the Flyers have been criticized for a lack of star power and inexperienced goaltending which has struggled since the end of November. Late last night the team addressed both of these issues with a big trade with the Dallas Stars.
The team acquired star goaltender Marty Turco, plus offensive defender Nathan Dempsey, in exchange for young gun goalie Andrew "Razor" Raycroft, impending unrestricted free agent Marcus Ragnarsson, and their 2nd round selection in this season's draft.
"It's always tough for me to give up a second rounder, as Norm Donovan especially could attest to, but in this case I've done what the team really needed me to do. I went out and acquired two players that I think can really help us, and neither of them will be up for free agency this summer," commented Flyers GM Matt MacInnis.
"It's one of those deals which helps everybody," he continued. They got the young goalie and the draft pick, we get the star goaltender with veteran experience that we desperately needed, and Dempsey is a good asset that allows us to possibly move other players on the team."
Dempsey may be the lesser talked about aspect of the trade, but he will move directly into a major component of the team's line-up, including most likely seeing first unit powerplay action from the point opposite of Brian Leetch.