Vinny's Back

By Steven Lienert
The Phanatic Magazine

ESPN has reported on Monday night that the Philadelphia Flyers have acquired Vaclav Prospal from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Phantoms' defenseman Alexandre Picard and a conditional 2009 draft pick.

Prospal, who was dubbed 'Vinny' by the South Philly Phaithful in his first stint with the Flyers, has scored 29 goals and 28 assists in 62 games this season. He'll become the sixth Flyers player on their roster to have tallied at least 20 goals this season.

Prospal was originally drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 1993 entry draft and spent his first two seasons in Philadelphia. Prospal also won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.

Prospal, who has 175 goals and 365 assists in 774 career games with Philadelphia, Ottawa, Florida, Tampa Bay and Anaheim, will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Picard, who was in his third season with the Flyers' minor-league affliate -- the Philadelphia Phantoms -- has notched eight goals and 30 assists in 53 games played for a minus-8. Overall, he has 16 goalsand 58 assists in 134 career games with the Phantoms.

If the Flyers happen to reach the Eastern Conference finals, they will owe Tampa Bay their second-round pick in 2009. If not, the Lightning will receive Calgary's third-round pick, which is owned by the Flyers, in 2009.

Meanwhile, Flyers' fans can cross Lightning defenseman Dan Boyle off their wish list. Reports are that Boyle and the 'Ning have reached an agreement on a contract extension. Perhaps the Flyers will look to bolster their defense with the addition of Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell, who remains on the trading block. Most likely, the Flyers will have to part with Jeff Carter to get that deal done.