Edmonton Oilers complete trade
The Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers just finalized a minor trade that could have a short-term impact on their defensive depth.
The Oilers acquire defenseman Ronnie Attard from the Flyers, while the Flyers acquire Ben Gleason, another defenseman whose NHL career is still in the making.
Ronnie Attard, a third-round pick of the Flyers in 2019 (72nd overall), is a 25-year-old defenseman from White Lake, Michigan. Although he has only played 29 NHL games to date, Attard has shown some interesting potential, racking up 2 goals and 4 assists.
Before making his NHL debut, he played in several leagues, including the USHL with the Tri-City Storm and the NCAA with Western Michigan. Attard will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, which could give the Oilers an opportunity to integrate him into their defensive core, or evaluate him further.
On the other side, Ben Gleason, a 26-year-old undrafted defenseman, joins the Flyers. Although he has only played 4 games in the NHL, Gleason has solid experience in the minor leagues, notably in the American League with the Texas Stars and the Bakersfield Condors.
The Flyers could see him as an addition to strengthen their blue line, with the hope of developing a higher potential. If not, he will certainly be an important asset for the Phantoms.
