The biggest week of the year in the NHL is finally upon us, meaning months of theorizing finally come to a head when the armchair GMing plays out in real life by the actual organizations. Ever since Ivan Provorov was traded back in early June, the rumor mill has been working overtime as, one by one, every remaining name on the roster has come under the microscope of trade speculation. Will the Flyers continue their massive overhaul in their rebuilding efforts or will things stagnant at the most inopportune time?
Number 5: Flyers Trade Scott Laughton
There seems to be a heavy internal battle when it comes to whether or not to trade 29-year-old Scott Laughton. The organization clearly respects him off the ice and his leadership skills could be crucial during the rebuilding phase the team is undergoing. That being said, there are quite a few hefty rumors out there suggesting teams are willing to pay a king’s ransom to pry Laughton out of Philadelphia. Does Danny Briere finally accept a price he deems acceptable or is Laughton’s admirable popularity too much to part with? They may wait until draft night to make that final call.
Number 4: Flyers Add A Young Talent
The name of the game has been tearing down and rebuilding, but if Briere was smart, he’d keep all avenues open and that includes smart rehab projects, top restricted free agents that fit the age range, as well as any disgruntled young players across the league. Whether it be Alexis Lafreniere or Alex DeBrincat or even Timo Meier, taking a chance on adding a player with serious upside can expedite their rebuild and help out their in-house talent by providing that missing spark plug.
Number 3: Sanheim’s Contract Gets Moved
There was quite the fuss over the weekend when it came to trade rumors surrounding defenseman Travis Sanheim, though as of the time of this piece getting published, he remains a Philadelphia Flyer. The team is in a race against time before Sanheim’s new eight-year, $50 million extension with a full no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. Briere and co. are trying to get rid of the previous regime’s biggest mistake before it’s too late to make their own lives significantly easier. Can they deal the 27-year-old before Saturday? Guess we’ll just have to stay buckled up and find out.
Number 2: Trade Up & Draft Michkov
As rumors, mock drafts and speculation continue to grow as draft day draws near, the entire draft order has got thrown into a blender, and a big reason for that is the fate of Russian forward Matvei Michkov and whether or not teams are willing to take the risk and select him within the first few picks of the draft. Some of the more recent rumors, sparked by Danny Briere’s pre-draft press conference last week, seem to not only suggest that Michkov may fall to number seven, but that the Flyers would be more than interested if he were there. It’s a major risk, but it’s the caliber of player the Flyers desperately need. There have also been rumors the Coyotes, who hold the sixth overall pick are willing to deal that to either the Flyers at seven or the Caps at eight if Michkov is still on the board. It could be a very interesting first round of the draft if the Russian star does indeed slip out of the top five.
Number 1: Flyers Trade Hart
This is arguably the biggest call they can make right now. Their 24-year-old goaltender is entering the last year of his current contract and will need a new deal as a restricted free agent next summer. They have Sam Ersson waiting patiently in the wings, and a pair of backups in Felix Sandstrom and newly-acquired Cal Petersen, but none are proven long-term NHL starters. There isn’t much history when it comes to locking back on team’s trading their top young goalie before the peak of his career, because, ya know, it just doesn’t happen. The Flyers have their hands full with half a dozen other trade candidates who are easier to move than Hart, so he may ride out the last season of his deal with the Flyers and they circle back on this topic at the deadline in March or next offseason before the ink dries on an extension.
Honorable mention
Flyers Hire Another Former Flyer in the Front Office
Is this an unexpected hot take or just the new norm for a pandering organization? The new front office if packed with former Flyers with no previous front office experience, so if there’s any more hirings to come, it only makes sense they’d follow suit and hire more. Why stop the gimmick now? There’s nearly 700 players to choose from. Michael Leighton? Tony Amonte? Derian Hatcher? Stefan Ruzicka? Who knows!
Konecny Gets Traded
If the Flyers are serious about a rebuild, trading Konecny should be a given. He had a career year in 2022-23 posting 61 points in 60 games, meaning his value may never be higher than it is right now. He’s a fan favorite as well as John Tortorella’s favorite, so there may come a snag if Briere actually wants to deal him. It’s a simple benchmark for a rebuilding squad- move your best assets at their peaks for future assets, but can the Flyers overcome their lust for the 26-year-old forward to make that call?
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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