Peter Forsberg is reportedly tonight no longer a member of the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Flyers tonight scratched Forsberg just before game time against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and have traded him to the Nashville Predators for forward Scottie Upshall, defense prospect Ryan Parent, a first and a third round pick.
TSN.CA reports the trade is not yet official as it has yet to be approved by the league and is considered a tentative agreement between the two clubs until approval is received.
It's been speculated for months that Forsberg might waive his "no-trade" clause to be moved to a Stanley Cup contender. For the past two weeks the Predators were considered among the front runners for his services.
This would seem a high return for a playoff rental player, particularly one who's been struggling with foot and skate problems this season. However, it's believed the Predators are going for the Cup this season, hoping to bolster their popularity in Nashville.
If he can stay healthy, Forsberg would be a tremendous addition to a very strong Predators club, bringining years of post-season experience and leadership to a team still considered a post-season novice, having made only two first round playoff appearances in franchise history.
As for the return, the Preds are deep in young talent both on their team and within their system. Upshall is a gritty, energetic checking forward but he's easily replaceable. The Predators already have plenty of young blueliners in Shea Weber, Ryan Suter and Dan Hamhuis so they can afford to part with Parent.
Because of that depth in young talent, the Predators can afford to part with those draft picks for this season, particularly since those picks won't be particularly high ones.
The Flyers appear to have got what they wanted for Forsberg: a young roster player, a promising prospect and a high draft pick, which they can use to continue their rebuilding process.