Flyers Preparing for Expansion Draft

VOORHEES — Around deadlines is when the calls between NHL general managers start getting a little nutty.

There are ideas out of left field — out of desperation, really — that get presented and occasionally both GMs agree   and work something out.

“Guys get a little more serious,” Flyers GM Ron Hextall said. “They come at you straight instead of around the bush. You never know.”

Hextall doesn’t have any big issues with the pending expansion draft and, for the first time in a long time, doesn’t have a glaring salary-cap issue, either.

After signing Shayne Gostisbehere to an extension, the team has roughly $8.6 million in space against last year’s $73 million cap. It is reportedly going to rise to $75 million next season.

So Hextall won’t have to concede to making a trade because he’s out of cap space or because he’s up against it with his protection list that must be submitted to the NHL by 5 p.m. Saturday.

The Vegas Golden Knights will choose a player from every team in the expansion draft or sign a pending free agent by next Wednesday. Teams have two ways of putting a list together — eight skaters and a goalie or seven forwards, three defenseman and a goalie.

Hextall has chosen the latter.