FLYERS REACQUIRE DOWNIE, DEAL TALBOT
The Philadelphia Flyers acquired winger Steve Downie from the Colorado Avalanche for forward Maxime Talbot.
What does it give the Philadelphia Flyers
In Downie, the Flyers acquire a feisty complementary winger they're very familiar with (he was originally drafted by Philadelphia in 2005). Downie was flourishing this season on a potent line alongside {P Matt Duchene} and {P Ryan O'Reilly} with the Avalanche, so expect the Flyers to use him as a top-six winger as well. An unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, Downie has bounced around a lot but is a very difficult player to line up against.
What does it give the Colorado Avalanche
Veteran Talbot brings a lot of winning experience to the Avalanche. He'll likely take on a strong leadership role, and he can play any forward position (and on any line). Signed for two more seasons, he makes a bit less than Downie so the Avs save a little money with this transaction. Talbot could wind up centering the fourth line, which would enable {P John Mitchell} to move back up into a top-nine forward role. He lost his job to rookie {P Nathan MacKinnon}.
Fantasy impact
Downie may see a bit of a dip in fantasy production, especially since his line was dominating many shifts since the start of 2013-14. Also, the Flyers are having more trouble scoring goals this season, as opposed to the high-flying Avalanche. As for Talbot, his role with the Avs should remain largely the same as it was in Philly, though he may have a bit more fantasy value now that he's on a more talented team.
