Trade Deadline Recap For Flyers, Phantoms & Relevant AHL-Related Moves

Sam Gagner was not traded by Philadelphia today. Photo: Nina Weiss/The Home News

The NHL's trade deadline came and went with little to no action today. The Philadelphia Flyers organization stood pat and the Pittsburgh Penguins made two minor trades, but there were several moves made that affect teams competing in the AHL's Atlantic Division playoff race.

A bunch of players were re-assigned to their respective AHL clubs only to be called right back up after the 3 p.m. ET deadline. Those moves were made so that those players could be eligible to play in the AHL the rest of this season. Any player on an NHL roster at 3 p.m. today is deemed ineligible to play in the AHL in the remaining seven weeks of the regular season and the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms only boost comes in the form of Nick Cousins, who likely will remain with the Philadelphia Flyers the rest of the regular season. The Phantoms will need to make the postseason to see the return of Cousins. It's also possible the Phantoms could see Jordan Weal on a conditioning stint, who did begin skating with the Flyers today.

Lehigh Valley enters the week six points behind the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for what is currently the final playoff spot in the AHL's Eastern Conference. They look to continue to close the deficit when they take on the Syracuse Crunch in New York on Wednesday night.

After the jump, a look at which Atlantic Division teams added and subtracted from their rosters.

Around The Atlantic

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)

The Philadelphia Flyers have reassigned forward Nick Cousins to Lehigh Valley to make him eligible to be sent to the Phantoms and play in the AHL down the stretch and if the Phantoms make the playoffs, the postseason. He was already called back up and be in Philadelphia's lineup in their game tonight.

Jakub Voracek will be out two weeks per GM Ron Hextall, so the Phantoms shouldn't be expecting Cousins back anytime soon. He's the only forward who can be sent down to Lehigh Valley, besides the slight possibility that Jordan Weal can join the Phantoms on a brief conditioning stint.

Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Acquired: F Ryan Bourque

Traded: F Chris Brown, D Connor Carrick

W-B/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Acquired: LW Matthias Platcha (PIT traded F Sergei Plotnikov to ARI) 

Traded: F Matia Marcantuoni

Claimed Off Waivers: D David Warsofsky (Claimed by NJ Devils)
Reassigned from NHL: G Matt Murray, D Derrick Pouliot, F Conor Sheary, F Scott Wilson, F Bryan Rust 

Portland Pirates (Florida Panthers)

Acquired: None

Traded: None

Called up to NHL: G Mike McKenna (emergency basis) D Jakub Kindl
Reassigned from NHL: D Michael Matheson, F Kyle Rau, F Logan Shaw, F Greg McKegg

Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)

Acquired: None

Traded: F Anthony Camara (BOS trade with CAR)
Reassigned from NHL: F Joonas Kemppainen, F Max Talbot, F Zac Rinaldo, 

Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders)

Acquired: F Marc-Andre Cliche (in trade with COL)

Traded: F Taylor Beck  (in trade with COL)

Reassigned from NHL: D Ryan Pulock

Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers)

Acquired: F Chris Brown

Traded: F Ryan Bourque

Reassigned From NHL: F Marek Hrivik (NYR acquired F Eric Staal from CAR)

Springfield Falcons (Arizona Coyotes)

Acquired: F Matia Marcantuoni (Acquired in trade with PIT)

Traded: LW Matthias Platcha (ARI acquired F Sergei Plotnikov from PIT), F Dustin Jeffrey (Traded to PIT), D Corey Potter (Traded to NSH)

Reassigned from NHL: F Tyler Gaudet

Final Thoughts

The Providence Bruins added the most intriguing players to their roster in Talbot and Kemppainen, and didn't lose any of their scoring forwards. They certainly have the depth up front with Frank Vatrano, Alexander Khokhlachev and Seth Griffith leading the charge.

The Portland Pirates had several guys papered on the AHL roster for playoff eligibility's sake, and with Mike McKenna currently recalled on an emergency basis the Pirates have a solid AHL squad if they make the playoffs. The only concern is that the guys currently on NHL recall might prevent Portland from getting to the postseason. Without Logan Shaw, Kyle Rau and McKenna right now it will be interesting to see how the team performs in their absence. 

Hershey lost a good part of their defenseman core when Connor Carrick was traded to the Toronto organization, but now the Bourque brothers are re-united. Hershey has the depth both up front to create a mismatch with just about any AHL team.

Bridgeport wasn't overly boosted at the deadline. In fact, besides getting offensive D-man Ryan Pulock back for AHL-eligibility they lost one of their better forwards in Taylor Beck in a trade for Marc-Andre Cliche - giving the Sound Tigers some depth down the middle.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, if they outlast their NHL counterpart, will be absolutely loaded in the postseason. They didn't lose anything and added the league's 10th leading scorer in Dustin Jeffrey too.