Flyers Reacquire Goalie Hextall From Islanders for Soderstrom

Ron Hextall, ineffective in goal when the New York Islanders were humiliated by the rival New York Rangers in last season’s playoffs, was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.

Hextall was packaged with a sixth-round draft choice in 1995 for 25-year-old goalie Tommy Soderstrom.

“I don’t think anybody can work harder than Ron Hextall,” said Islander General Manager Don Maloney in announcing the trade. “He had a slow start and a disastrous finish here, and New York’s a tough town.”

Hextall, 30, allowed 16 goals in three games against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Rangers, who swept the Islanders in four games of the first-round series.

Hextall had a career-high five shutouts, a 3.08 goals-against average and a 27-26-6 record in the regular season.

As a rookie in 1986-87, he led the Flyers to the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals against the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers won, 3-1, but Hextall was chosen MVP of the playoffs and the league’s top goaltender. After six seasons with the Flyers, he played with the Quebec Nordiques in 1992-93.

Soderstrom played in 34 games last season for the Flyers, with a 6-18-4 record and a 4.01 goals-against average.