Fantasy Hockey Impact: Ivan Provorov lands in Columbus in 3-way deal

The Stanley Cup Final isn’t even over yet, and already, we’ve been graced with the first substantial trade of the summer.

And believe it or not, in the long run, there could be some legitimate fantasy implications attached to it.

First and foremost, shortly after the three-team deal came to light, multiple reports suggested Carter Hart could be the next to go. Obviously, that’s excellent news for Hart dynasty/keeper league owners. Early on in the Keith Jones/Daniel Briere era, it appears the Flyers are actually committed to the whole rebuild thing. Crazy, right?

Indisputably, the most intriguing name in the deal is Ivan Provorov. Honestly, talk about a player who was in dire need of a change of scenery. In theory, the blue liner’s stock stands to gain a significant boost with the move to Columbus, especially with Zach Werenski and Adam Boqvist already firmly in the mix. In Junior, Provorov was a point producing machine. Through seven NHL seasons, it’s been a mixed bag. While it’s fair to temper expectations, the 26-year-old could emerge as a big-time sleeper in the fall depending on his deployment. On top of that, the Blue Jackets are rumoured to be bringing in Mike Babcock, which seems like a very good fit for a player like Provorov. Then again, we said that about the Provorov/Tortorella fit, too.

Meantime, similar to Provorov, Cal Petersen will get a much-needed reset with the Flyers. It’s only early June, so it’s impossible to forecast where he’ll fit in with respect to Philadelphia’s crease. That said, a potential Hart trade would open the door significantly for Petersen to grab lucrative playing time, assuming he can find his confidence again. Additionally, John Tortorella’s system could do wonders for him as well. After a strong first three seasons in the NHL, the 28-year-old’s game has fallen off a cliff since signing a three-year, $15-million contract extension in September 2021. In fact, he made just 10 appearances for the Kings this past season before being demoted to the AHL for the balance of the year. Let’s not sugar coat things: He’s a reclamation project. Furthermore, the name to watch for in Philadelphia could be Felix Sandstrom. Having said all that, any way you slice it, it would be wise to stay away from the Flyers crease for the foreseeable future.