Matt Niskanen Comments On Trade To Philly.

It was a trade that surprised everybody earlier this morning, including the players involved.Philadelphia Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher sent defenseman Radko Gudas to Washington in exchange of defenseman Matt Niskanen. "I was a little surprised. Not totally shocked but it caught me a little off-guard. But between now and the Draft is the time of year when things often happen, so there was always that possibility. I knew the situation Washington was in."
Very familiar with the Flyers' roster and talent, Niskanen believes the Flyers should be better than their record the last couple of years. "I've played against these guys, the core, for quite a few years in rivalry situations with Pittsburgh and Washington. They have dangerous players. I said to a teammate this year, they should be better than [their record]. There's a lot of promise there."
"They have three young studs on D..... I talked to Chuck and my role will be to a good partner and let them do the things they do well. Play some hard minutes and let them skate and move the puck."
"Chuck said they were looking at me for awhile. He thinks the team is ready to pop, as do I."
Overall Niskanen sounds pretty positive about moving to Philly. However over the last couple of years he's put on a lot of mileage and it might be worrisome for some Flyers' fans. "This past season, there were times where I had a lot of energy and pop, other times it was tough. Right now, I feel way better. Physically good to go. I've been training for the last month."
"Am I a No. 1 guy at this point? Probably not. But I see myself as a real good support piece for one of these young studs and, hopefully, we can be a real formidable pair together. I can play top 4 minutes still."
The most important thing though, Niskanen brings Stanley Cup experience and will be able to coach the younger dmen through the season. "[Winning the Cup] is so difficult. You need some luck along the way, and you need to stay healthy. Obviously, you need to play well. But, my goodness, it's draining. It's a series of sprints. Toughest thing I've ever done."