Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal: “The Flyers’ season has only been over for 10 days and already Joffrey Lupul’s name is popping up as possible trade bait to get more speed on the back-end, certainly an achilles heel for Philadelphia. If not Fort Saskatchewan’s Lupul, then it’s Fort McMurray’s Scottie Upshall. Both had good playoffs for the Flyers, with Lupul eliminating the Washington Capitals in Game 7 in overtime in the first playoff round and Upshall being a general pest with some offensive touch.”
Here is the full article courtesy of the Edmonton Journal.
It wouldn’t be the spring without a Joffrey Lupul rumor. That being said, Matheson is one of the most connected writers in North America and when he writes a rumor there is most certainly some substance to it. In fact, trading Lupul for some back-end help makes sense for the Flyers. Maybe the Oilers are interested? They have a young mobile defenseman named Joni Pitkanen who is reportedly on the block…. (I kid, I kid).
Update: Jonathan over at Copper & Blue also had Pitkanen come to mind. It just makes too much sense…