NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 30: Mattias Ekholm #14 of the Nashville Predators skates against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on January 30, 2020 in Newark, New Jersey. The Predators defeated the Devils 6-5 in the shoot-out. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
It’s no secret that with the loss of former Flyers defenseman Matt Niskanen, the entire defensive unit has felt out of sorts. To make matters worse, GM Chuck Fletcher was unable to fill the void that Niskanen left, either through free agency or trade. It wasn’t for lack of trying though.