We’ve officially entered the dog days of the NHL offseason. August is the no man’s land between the free agent frenzy and the preseason, and Flyers fans are especially down this year after an underwhelming performance by Chuck Fletcher throughout the summer. It’s led folks to CapFriendly’s Armchair GM tool to craft their what-could’ve-been perfect offseason and looking ahead to the trade deadline in March of 2023.
You’re the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers and the proposals below come across your desk, do you make the trade?
Firesale if Philly is out of a playoff spot by the deadline by PrisonMike
How badly does Columbus want postseason success? After landing Johnny Gaudreau during the offseason and retaining the services of Patrik Laine, they are looking to be a force in the metro division for the first time. Couturier’s new $62 million extension is uuuuugly, especially for a team like the Flyers who don’t appear ready to be competitive during the last few good years of his career. In this scenario, the Flyers trade their top center to a division rival for 19-year-old center Cole Sillinger, who had 31 points in 79 games during his NHL debut last season, as well as a pair of draft picks; a first in 2023 and a second in 2024.
The Flyers get a king’s ransom for Couturier, while simultaneously getting away from his awful contract before it can bite them and the Jackets get a top two-way forward that can boost their competitive edge and open their playoff window even wider.
Would you make this trade?
.
Worst gm in the NHL by ThatBoredHockeyFan
The Flyers are going to have a decision to make when it comes to Travis Sanheim, who is entering the last year of his contract. The 5×5 as proposed in this deal feels like wishful thinking, but the Flyers have very little cap to play with, and Cam York and Egor Zamula knocking at the door. It ultimately means Sanheim could be a huge piece to dangle at the trade deadline, and a team on the up-and-up like the Ducks would not only be a good fit for Sanheim, but they have a bountiful prospect pool to pick a return from.
Groulx is 22-year-old forward prospect who has played most of the last two seasons in the AHL racking up 21 goals and 51 points in 82 games.
Tracey is a 21-year-old forward prospect who was a 29th overall pick in 2019. He put up 31 points in 55 games during his first full AHL season in 2021-22.
The Flyers get a cocktail of picks and prospects for their pending UFA at the 2023 trade deadline, and the Ducks get a puck-moving defenseman to compliment their young, speedy forwards corps.
Would you make this trade?
.
FireChuck by Denman905
Provorov is going to start the 2022-23 season with the Flyers, but if things go south, one has to wonder how much more he can take with the relationship between player and team seemingly starting to fray.
Nugent-Hopkins is now 29 years old with seven years left on his current contract at a $5.1 million cap hit. His offensive production tends to fluctuate from season to season, but he appears to be good for 20 goals and 50-60 points more often than not. He’d be an immediate help for the Flyers’ shallow center depth.
Losing Provorov clears the path for youngsters Cam York and Egor Zamula to take a bigger slice of the cake, and if Provorov’s play is still on the downward trend, he may not have much more value than this.
Would you make this trade?
.
2 years out by DH28Hockey
Chychrun’s name has been in the rumor mill for the better part of a year at this point, but he remains in Arizona, mainly because the asking price still seems to be sky high. If the Coyotes ever become serious about moving him, they’re gonna have to accept a lesser, but still worthwhile, offer.
Brink is a 21-year-old forward who made the jump to the NHL at the tail end of the 2021-22 season after a championship-winning career at the University of Denver. Samuel Ersson was the Flyers’ fifth round pick in 2018 and had an impressive career in Sweden before making the jump to North America last season. Both players are returning from injury, Brink recovering from offseason hip surgery and Ersson missed most of his rookie season with recurring groin issues, which he underwent surgery earlier in the year.
Chychrun is a 24-year-old left-handed defenseman who has three years left on his current contract at a $4.6 million cap hit. He typically posts about 20 points per season, but has yet to play a full 82-game season, only technically playing a full campaign during the shortened 56-game 2020-21 outing.
Flyers land a cheap, team controlled top defenseman for top higher end but not guaranteed top prospects and a pair of draft picks years from now.
Would you make this trade?
.
Bring home the Cup by Gill1719
Travis Konecny is in a perpetual “make or break” season, as the team and fans alike cling to his one solid outing he posted years ago. Considering he’s back for the 2022-23 campaign, it could very well be his last in orange and black if he doesn’t justify his roster position with so many right wings in the system.
Johnathan Kovacevic is a 25-year-old defense prospect for the Jets, though he’s spent three seasons in the AHL after a college career at Merrimack. His NHL potential seems rather low these days, but he is a right-shot D, a position of need for the Flyers and their prospect pool.
The far more intriguing return is the trio of draft picks, a first in 2024, and a pair of 2023 picks in the second and third round. Winnipeg’s 2024 first could be a lower selection, and Boston’s 2023 second rounder could be on the lower side as well with the walls starting to close in on a once mighty squad.
Kovacevic isn’t much in this case, but the three high end draft picks is a pretty solid return for a middling winger.
Would you make this trade?
.
With JVR trade by Hammerwise
For some reason, JVR seems to have drawn attention from non-Flyers fans in the trade proposals. There were a few suggestions from Vegas fans, but we excluded them because the cap would be a complete mess for both teams, but this one works nicely.
Gardiner is a 32-year-old left-handed defenseman who is a 10-year NHL veteran with one year left on his current deal at a $4.05 million cap hit. He underwent back and hip surgeries last summer which kept him out of the entire 2021-22 season. He appears to be healthy and ready to go for the 2022-23 season, but how much he’d got left in the tank will be the real test.
Flyers retain half of JVR, eat the last year of Gardiner, who surely won’t be the player he once was, but in return get a flurry of draft picks, including two picks they originally gave up in the Tony DeAngelo trade.
Would you make this trade?
.
fixing this dumpster fire by dzad96
It wouldn’t be a Deal or No Deal piece without including one completely crazy trade. Draisaitl to Philly has been a popular fan theory for quite some time now, but both McDavid and Draisaitl getting shipped to Philly would be quite the story.
In exchange, the Oilers would get a top-end young goalie in Carter Hart, a pair of top four defensemen in Ristolainen and Sanheim, as well as two forwards, veteran Cam Atkinson and 23-year-old Owen Tippett. The five first round picks are obviously the highlight of the deal, but it’s worth noting the Flyers do not own the Ducks 2023 first rounder in real life.
In case you’re wondering, this works out almost perfectly financially. McDavid and Draisaitl combine for $21 million, and the five Flyers roster players clock in at $21,129,000.
Would you make this trade?
.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
brotherlypuck.com 