The 2021-22 NHL season was absolutely brutal for the Philadelphia Flyers. A offseason filled with hype disintegrated when injuries arose and it lead to a miserable 82-game schedule that fans were begging to end. That followed by an excruciatingly long 10-week wait period where nothing happened other than the hiring of John Tortorella, leaving fans to further brew in their anger while creating the perfect offseason that would turn the Flyers around. Well, the week of D-day is finally here and the Flyers will be tasked with putting their money where their mouth is.
Number 5: Finally Acquire a 3C
This shouldn’t really be a hot take, but considering the Flyers have ignored their depth down the middle for years now, if they actually add a center with some kind of legitimacy, it will be big news. The last few seasons they’ve tasked Morgan Frost, Nate Thompson, Derick Brassard, Patrick Brown, Derek Grant and Misha Vorobyev with the 3C role. Who’d a thunk that motley crew wouldn’t have any success? It’s far beyond time to bring in a real option to tandem in the middle-six with Kevin Hayes, especially considering both he and Couturier are coming off major injuries.
Number 4: Flyers adopt a ‘Cat
24-year-old Alex DeBrincat has been on the trade block and rumor has it the Flyers are at least sniffing around the two-time, 40-goal scorer. A player who can actually put the puck in the back of the net should be pretty high on the Flyers’ wishlist, even though he might require a king’s ransom to acquire. He’s got one more year left on his contract with a $6.4 million cap hit, then becomes a restricted free agent next summer. Yes, he’s a winger, but he’d be better than anyone currently on the roster and a much needed upgrade on the powerplay.
Number 3: JVR Takes His $7 mil and Goes Away
Clearing the last year of JVR’s $7 million contract should be priority number one this summer. Whether or not they can ditch his cap will go a long way to determining the rest of the offseason. Buying him out frees up less than $3 million, retaining half his contract is only $3.5 million, neither of which go far in adding anybody of note during the summer. Some are worried about packaging a draft pick or two in order to pull off a trade, but it it clears the entire $7 million off the books, losing a draft pick is the least they can do if it means a real addition this summer.
Number 2: Konecny Gets Dealt
Trading Travis Konecny is always a polarizing topic among Flyers fans. Realistically, he’s their best moveable trade chip in their pursuit for an upgrade elsewhere on the roster. Rumor has it they almost dealt him last summer, but backed out at the last minute. After another relatively underwhelming season it may finally be time to part with Teeks. He will be making faces against the Flyers next season instead of for them.
Number 1: Flyers Trade the Fifth
It’s been the biggest question the Flyers have faced since falling a spot in the draft lottery- do they keep or trade the fifth overall pick? Quite honestly it still feels like a 50/50 scenario, but the fact that there doesn’t appear to be certainty either way may lend credence to the fact that pick may get dealt. It’s no surprise the pick has appeared in trade rumors, the Flyers desperately need a home run addition this offseason and the fifth overall is probably their best bullet in the asset stockpile and will go a long way to land whichever player they zero in on.
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By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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