Flyers

Holmgren’s Got a Gun: Killing Season is Here and JVR is, Of Course, on the Trading Block

By Kyle Scott

Published: Jun 11th, 2012 · 10:06 AM EDT

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"I'm going to fucking kill you one day, Junior"

The days are long and the weather is hot, and that can only mean one thing: The NHL summer rumor mill is here and we can’t wait to see what sort of reactive and organization-shifting moves the Flyers make this year! (!!!)

First up – and we’ll consider it a soft launch – JVR trade rumors… because, really, what would any Flyers rumor mill be without James van Riemsdyk discussion and Ed Snider’s blind intuition?

Not much, Bob. Not much.

Anyway, last night on Sports Final – which, surprisingly, isn’t yet hosted by Sheena Parveen in a strapless two-tone belted club dress – Howard Eskin reported that the Flyers are interested in JVR's fellow trade rumor veteran, Rick Nash:

2 be clear on what I reported on Sports Final @NBCPhiladelphia sun night. Flyers JVR delaying having surgery torn labrum. Could holdup trade

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) June 11, 2012

 

To continue Flyers like Rick Nash and a "possible" trade really can't happen until JVR is 100 percent. JVR delaying surgery on torn Labrum

— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) June 11, 2012

 

Basically, JVR continues to hurt the Flyers even while he’s not lying in a hospital bed somewhere. Or something like that. And that's pissing the Flyers off.

It’s hard to imagine a professional athlete would delay surgery for the sole purpose of not getting traded. But who knows? The mere fact that this is being brought up and somewhat believable – the Flyers angered at one of their key players, who was a major reason why the team felt comfortable trading Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, for blocking a potential trade – is sad. 

We’ll buy Eskin’s report, but also take it with a grain of salt, if simply because a JVR for Rick Nash trade rumor is about as expected as it comes, especially when you consider the Flyers' rodent-like propensity to kill their young: Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Justin Williams, Patrick Sharp, Danius Zubrus, Johan Hedburg— all drafted by the Flyers, all traded. Incredibly, six of those seven are playing in the Stanley Cup Finals, and Sharp beat them in the 2010 Finals.

If history is any indication, maybe it's better that JVR could be holding up a trade.

UPDATE: Paul Holmgren, of course, denies this report, telling CSN's Sarah Baicker that an infection in JVR's foot is the reason for the delay. Somewhere, Ruben Amaro doesn't think this is a setback.