On the heels of trading Jeff Carter to the Blue Jackets, the Flyers shipped out Captain Mike Richards for Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds.

While the Carter trade was not a surprise – it had been rumored for weeks – the trade of Mike Richards was completely unforeseen. While one trade can be seen as clearing cap space for Ilya Bryzgalov, trading both of your 2003 first round picks – which make up the core of your team – signifies something completely different.

This isn’t about getting a goalie, this is about a complete organizational rebuild. A month ago, we wrote that the argument over a big-name goalie was about the makeup of the team. Trading your franchise cornerstones, who were contracted through 2020, is a complete reworking of your team.

While neither trade was poor – Brayden Schenn is going to be a legit star in this league while both Voracek and Simmonds are top-9 talent – the act of trading your two most recognizable faces is a risky move. Ed Snider ordered Paul Holmgren to get a goalie, and Holmgren took the opportunity to start from scratch.

Barely over a calendar year after being two wins away from the Stanley Cup, the Flyers have traded their two franchise players. They’re starting over, and they’re building around Ilya Bryzgalov.

[Update by JasonB, 06/23/11 5:07 PM EDT ] The Flyers have announced that they've also received a 2nd round pick from LA.