Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Excellent report by Frank Seravalli in the Daily News this morning.

Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler, who has a full no-trade clause, is on the market. The Penguins are seemingly the favorite to get him, but they now consider the Flyers and Blackhawks as their main competitors.

Two sources told Seravalli that the Flyers have made a “substantial offer,” one that likely includes Brayden Schenn and many other moving parts.

Kesler reportedly hasn’t requested a trade, but he may be willing to accept one. How might one know that? Oh, well that’s the fun part:

However, a source says former Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was actually among those who became close to Kesler with Team USA at the Olympics and passed on word that he might not be entirely happy in Vancouver.

Kesler, 29, holds the keys in this negotiation with a full no-trade clause. The Penguins are reportedly his first choice destination, with Philadelphia serving as his backup plan. Numerous reports stated Kesler – a Michigan native – is not interested in a trade to another Canadian market.

I read that approximately three times to make sure I was comprehending it correctly– Peter Laviolette supposedly passed on word to the Flyers that Kesler isn’t happy in Vancouver. Huh. I guess you really are a Flyer for life once you work for The Chairman and his overlord bosses.

Kesler is a top two-way forward and has 21 goals and 18 assists this year vs. Schenn’s 16 and 18. But, Schenn is much younger. And cheaper. Kesler has two years left (after this season) on his six-year, $30 million contract– each at $5 million. Schenn will become a restricted free agent this summer, but won’t get anywhere near that much.

Seravalli says that the Flyers would prefer trading Schenn over Sean Couturier, which is good, because if the Flyers trade Sean Couturier, I… will write very bad things about Holmgren.

I don’t know if I’d do anything right now. The Flyers are playing like one of the best teams in hockey since January. Any playoff success they have this year will be considered a bonus. They always mortgage the future for the present and, well, it’s never worked. Trading Schenn and others for Kesler at this point is messing with a good thing. Does it make that good thing better? Maybe. Maybe not. But this seems like as good a year as any to just stay the course, maybe add a small piece or two.

Of course, there’s also the possibility the Flyers are leaking this stuff so Pittsburgh has to give up more for Kesler.