Brayden Schenn Traded to Blues to Select Morgan Frost

CHICAGO — Morgan Frost had a feeling the trade might’ve been with him in mind.

Few others were ready for it, especially Brayden Schenn. The Flyers traded the winger to the St. Louis Blues for the 27th pick in the draft, which they used to select Frost, center Jori Lehtera and a conditional 2018 first-round pick. If the Blues pick in the top 10 next year they can choose to defer the first-round pick to 2019, but then the Flyers get a third-round pick in 2020 also.

“I talked with them a couple times over the season, specifically (amateur scout) Rick Pracey,” said Frost, a center for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. “I kinda had a feeling that they liked me. I’m just super happy that I went there.”

The deal between Ron Hextall and Doug Armstrong came together quick. Hextall wanted to get back in the first round and specifically for Frost because the whole staff of scouts “really liked this guy.”

It cost the Flyers a 25-goal scorer last season — Schenn led the squad with 17 power-play goals — and they still have another big contract. In Lehtera, the Flyers get a center who has two more years on his contract with a $4.7 million cap hit. Last season he had seven goals and 22 points in 64 games

“You know what, it was one of the ones that came out of nowhere,” Hextall said. “It wasn’t like we were out there shopping Brayden. But this deal came along and we really like the draft next year. We like the late pick this year. We like Jori. It was just kind of a deal that made sense. We’ve got a couple more really good young players today and we’re excited about both of them.”

The first was Nolan Patrick, whom the Flyers took second overall. He has a shot at making next year’s roster, a way better shot than Frost who comes in at 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds.