With the hot stove burning ahead of the Seattle expansion draft, the Philadelphia Flyers announced the acquisition of Ryan Ellis from the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Philippe Myers and forward Nolan Patrick. This was first reported by The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.
“We’ve had a long time interest in Ryan Ellis,” said Chuck Fletcher, GM of the Flyers. “We were looking for help on the blue line in the offseason and during the season…It’s a good fit for our team. We paid a price but it’s hard to get defensemen like this. We’re happy with the cap hit and happy with the player.”
Continuing to keep busy ahead of the 5:00pm protection list deadline, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Nashville quickly flipped Nolan Patrick to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Cody Glass.
“We felt it was time for a change to our core this offseason, and we are really excited to add an influx of youth, size and skill into the lineup with these additions,” said David Poile, Predators GM. “Cody Glass is a former sixth overall pick that we think has a high ceiling as a center prospect, and Philippe Myers is a 6-foot-5 defenseman that adds an element that we do not currently have on our back end.”
As reported by John Shannon, with Patrick, a former first-round pick, being dealt to Nevada, he reunites with GM Kelly McCrimmon, who coached him with the Brandon Wheat Kings in the Western Hockey League. Patrick, who hails from Winnipeg, played in 52 games last season, where he compiled nine points on five goals and four assists.
He made the playoffs with the Philadelphia in his first season before the Flyers sidelined him in 2019-20 due to a history of migraines which coincided with a concussion. Standing tall at six-foot-two, he was selected second overall in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
Packaged alongside a fellow countryman, Phillipe Myers, from Moncton, New Brunswick, has spent parts of three seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers. In a season complicated by the pandemic, Myers skated in 44 games, where he compiled 11 points on one goal and 10 assists. While with the Flyers, he’s also played in 109 games with the AHL’s Leigh Valley Phantoms.
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Ellis, who’s been in Nashville since 2011-12, played in 35 games last season, amassing 18 points on five goals and 13 assists. Playing in the Music City, Ellis has been a part of eight playoff runs, including three where he fulfilled his duties of assistant captain.
“The opportunity to add a player like Ryan was too good to pass up,” Chuck Fletcher stated to the media on Saturday evening. “He’s an elite defenseman in terms of transition.” Speaking to a revamp in the City of Brotherly Love, Fletcher continued, “We are certainly going to look at every avenue to get better. We weren’t good enough last year. Adding Ryan is an upgrade and a step in the right direction. We’re not going to get complacent and we’ll do what we can to upgrade where we can.”
Discussing the impact he made over 10 seasons with the Predators, Poille stated via press release, “We will miss Ryan Ellis’ leadership, dedication and work ethic in our locker room. We drafted Ryan in 2009, and over the last decade-plus he helped lead our franchise through its most competitive era, spending the last four seasons as Associate Captain. We wish Ryan and his family all the best in Philadelphia and thank him for all he did during his time with the Predators.”