Sean Walker was traded to the Colorado Avalanche from the Philadelphia Flyers for Ryan Johansen and a conditional first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Wednesday.
The Flyers also sent a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft to the Avalanche. If Colorado's first-round pick is in the top 10 in the 2025 draft, they will retain the selection and send Philadelphia it's first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Walker is in the final season of a four-year, $10.6 million contract ($2.65 million average annual value) he signed with the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 11, 2020, and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
The 29-year-old defenseman has 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 63 games this season. He had been traded to the Flyers by the Kings on June 6.
Signed by the Kings as an undrafted free agent July 2, 2018, Walker has 89 points (22 goals, 67 assists) in 295 regular-season games for the Flyers and Kings and no points in two Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Colorado also acquired forward Casey Mittelstadt in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Bowen Byram.
The Avalanche (38-20-5) are in third place in the Central Division, four points behind the first-place Dallas Stars.
Johansen is in his first season with Colorado after being traded there by the Nashville Predators for forward Alex Galchenyuk on June 24. He has 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 63 games this season, and 578 points (202 goals, 376 assists) in 905-regular-season games with the Avalanche, Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 31-year-old forward, who was selected by the Blue Jackets with the No. 4 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, is in the seventh season of an eight-year, $64 million contract ($8 million AAV) he signed with the Predators on July 28, 2017. He can become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Philadellphia placed Johansen on waivers Wednesday.
Johansen played for Flyers coach John Tortorella when they were together with the Blue Jackets in 2015-16.
The Flyers (32-23-8) are third in the Metropolitan Division, six points behind the second-place Carolina Hurricanes and four points ahead of the New York Islanders, who are currently out of playoff position.
