The Philadelphia Flyers, parent club of the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms, have acquired defenseman Danny Syvret from the Edmonton Oilers, parent club of the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, in exchange for forward Ryan Potulny.
Syvret, 22, recorded two goals and 18 assists for 20 points and 43 penalty minutes in 63 regular-season games for the Springfield Falcons and Hershey Bears this past season.
“Danny is a puck-moving defenseman that sees the ice well and will improve our depth,” said Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren in making the announcement. “He had some success playing with Jeff Carter and Mike Richards at the 2005 World Junior Championship as a member of the Team Canada. Ryan was a good player for our organization, but this was a deal based on a need, as we added depth to our defense.”
A native of Millgrove, Ont., Syvret has also posted an assist and 12 penalty minutes in 26 career NHL games over two seasons. In three AHL seasons (2005-08), Syvret has registered 61 points (6g, 55a) and 97 penalty minutes in 182 regular-season games for Hamilton, Grand Rapids, Springfield and Hershey.
Syvret was originally drafted by Edmonton in the third round (81st overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Potulny, 23, posted an assist in seven NHL games for the Flyers this past season. He also registered 21 goals and 26 assists for 47 points and 51 penalty minutes in 58 regular-season games for the Philadelphia Phantoms. On Apr. 24, Potulny’s goal 2:58 into the fifth overtime period gave the Phantoms a 3-2 win over Albany in the longest game in American Hockey League history.
A third-round draft choice by Philadelphia in 2003, Potulny has totaled 33 goals and 40 assists for 73 points in 88 AHL games with the Phantoms and seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 44 NHL games with the Flyers.
"When Potulny’s name got on the table we certainly jumped at it," said Oilers vice president of hockey operations Kevin Prendergast. "We think he’s a player who will probably be one of our best player’s in Springfield with a good possibility of being a call-up player over the course of the year."
Coincidentally, Syvret was reassigned to Hershey by the Oilers during the 2007-08 season in exchange for the services of Grant Potulny, Ryan’s brother.
