“Yzerman is Jedi” is a phrase that is making the popular rounds on Twitter and elsewhere after today’s deal between the Lightning and Flyers. With the Bolts giving up an expendable defenseman and a fourth round draft pick for an elite wing… Well, how else did Steve Yzerman pull this off?

Meanwhile, Ben Rothenberg at Broad Street Hockey has quesitons

Now the question is: why did the Flyers acquire Walker? He is now their 8th defenseman costing more than their 6th and 7th. Is Oskars Bartulis going back to Adirondack? Why pick up the $1.7 million salary, effectively dumping Gagne’s $5.25 million hit to only give the team ~$1 million in cap space?

Maybe Walker gets waived, giving the team roughing ~$2.7 million in cap space, but then why acquire Walker in the first place?

Answer: Jedi mind trick.