As the Philadelphia Flyers continue to drop down the Eastern Conference standings, general manager Ron Hextall and head coach Craig Berube may have an eye or two already set on the March 2 trade deadline.
With five defensemen already under contract for the 2015-16 season (according to NHL Numbers) and several promising prospects on the horizon, the club may take steps towards shedding salary and re-working the roster, which may explain the recent surge in Michael Del Zotto's role on the ice.
Scratched from the lineup often during the month of December, Del Zotto has seen his ice time rise to over 22 minutes per game in his last three, resulting in a goal and two assists (including one on the power play) in that span.
Regardless of whether or not the team is looking to sell high while Del Zotto displays some of the promise he showed as a rookie with the New York Rangers, he remains focused on trying to help the Flyers win on any given night, and appears to have an appetite to remain in Philadelphia.
Del Zotto told Frank Seravalli of the Daily News:
I got back in the lineup and for me, it was just about earning back the coaches' trust and playing solid in my own end and being reliable. When chances are there offensively, you take advantage of it ... I've enjoyed my time here. I love it here. I want to stay here. That's not the way I'm looking at it. I want to go out every night and work my hardest for my teammates and my coaching staff to help the team win. That's the only way I'm looking at it.
Set to become a restricted free agent at season's end, Del Zotto is in the midst of a one-year, $1.3-million deal with the Flyers. In 35 games, he's recorded three goals, ten assists (with five points coming in 10 January games), a plus-16 rating and an five-on-five Corsi rating of 49.3.
If he keeps playing the way he has this month, he'll certainly boost the cost of his next contract. With the Flyers married to other, somewhat less promising defensemen, it may behoove them to flip the asset prior to the deadline.