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Welcome Brayden Schenn to the trade rumor mill

Ottawa Senators v Philadelphia Flyers

Ottawa Senators v Philadelphia Flyers

NHLI via Getty Images

Sure doesn’t sound like Brayden Schenn’s in Philadelphia’s long-term plans.

From the Courier-Post:

“Brayden’s been OK,” [Flyers GM Ron] Hextall said. “It’s training camp. It’s early. … I think we all know where he is and what is and that he prefers to play the right side. We’ll see where it goes.”

With 17 forwards in camp — Colin McDonald and Nick Cousins are still around too — the Flyers may have to find new homes for some players. With a $2.5 million salary cap hit and in the last year of his contract, it would appear Schenn is a trade candidate.

Schenn has spent all of the preseason on a “fifth line” with AHLers Scott Laughton and Chris Porter, a trio the Courier-Post said “may not be a real consideration for the NHL roster.”

And when it comes to compiling an NHL roster, the Flyers have moved swiftly this preseason -- and with purpose. Line combos were set early and the club has rapidly trimmed away; over the last few days, Philly went from 62 to 29 players.

(Technically that number currently sits at 35 but, per the Courier-Post, five players -- Chris Conner, Tim Brent, Aaron Palushaj, Davis Drewiske and Jason LaBarbera -- will be waived on Friday and a sixth, Swiss d-man signing Christian Marti, will open the year on the injured list.)

In short, Hextall and new head coach Dave Hakstol have wasted little time in getting the team sorted out.

All of which brings us back to Schenn.

Even though he’s only 24 and coming off a career-high 47 points, there seems to be some trepidation from the Flyers about locking him into their long-term plans. Most of that, it seems, has to do with the fact nobody can figure out where Schenn should play; he’s worked as a center, left and right winger at times, but nothing seems to have “clicked.”

In August, eyebrows were raised when Hextall said there were no plans to extend Schenn.

“I’ve spoken with Brayden’s agent a number of times over the summer about different things and the subject’s never come up,” Hextall said, per CSNPhilly.com. “It’s not something we’re in a hurry to do and I’m assuming they feel the same way.”

Hextall has been methodical in locking up several of the club’s talented forwards -- Sean Couturier and Jakub Voracek most recently -- so the fact Schenn remains without an extension is telling.

Stay tuned.