Danny Briere and the Flyers have played their cards close to their chest so far in the months leading up to the offseason and now that the draft is on the horizon it’s time to finally see what they’ve got up their sleeves.
The trade value the Flyers’ roster possesses is… well… not great. Between some long-term contracts and low-ceiling players, they’re not exactly rolling in potential when it comes to crafting trades. Sure, there’s valuable prospects that haven’t made the jump to the NHL yet like Matvei Michkov or Oliver Bonk, or main roster mainstays like Cam York or Sam Ersson, but they would never trade those guys, so we’re sticking with trade chips that have some actual chance of moving this summer.
Number 5: Morgan Frost
We’ve talked about Morgan Frost’s future on the team already this summer, but between the fact that he’s never hit his ceiling in Philly, his ongoing feud with John Tortorella, and their commitment to a group of mediocre centers means that Frost may just be the odd man out if they bring in a new C of substance. He may not possess a ton of value by himself, but any team looking for a cheap center with potentially untapped upside could be of interest to rebuilding or cap-strapped squads.
Number 4: Bobby Brink
Brink turns 23 years old in July, and the 2019 second round pick still may not have an NHL gig locked down. Torts was particularly hard on Brink during the season, which could be a tough love approach, or it could be because he hates young players with potential. It still seems unlikely the Flyers go out of their way to add, but if they do, or even if it’s a potential move up in the draft, someone like Brink seems like a prime “throw in” piece for any deal this summer. Will they live to regret it? Yeah, probably, but hey, they’ll burn that bridge when they get there.
Number 3: Travis Sanheim
Sanheim is one of the more intriguing trade candidates on the Flyers’ roster. He does have a full no-trade until 2027 and a M-NTC until the end of his deal in 2031, so dealing him won’t be easy, but he rehabbed his value quite a bit during the 2023-24 season, and with the cap going up, his $6.25 million cap hit could become less of an albatross and more of a proper value deal… or at least they could sell it that way. The congestion on the blue line mixed with an underling need to clean up their cap space could theoretically lead to a Sanheim trade, albeit it still improbable the trigger gets pulled.
Number 2: Travis Konecny
The Flyers’ de facto top forward is entering the last year of his contract and the “will they, won’t they” battle when it comes to re-signing him is well underway. The answer more than likely is that they’ll bring him back with a painfully stupid contract in tow, but if they were smart they’d at least work the phones before inking a new deal. He may get re-signed, but his trade value is at an all-time high right now and the “rebuilding” Flyers should consider all options before committing a max contract to their 28-year-old.
Number 1: Colorado’s 2025 1st round pick
As evidenced by their 2024 Florida Panthers first round pick, sometimes there’s more value in the theory of holding an additional first rounder than what the actual pick will realize. Colorado is still expected to be a Cup contender in 2025 and if they make a deep run, The Flyers will end up with another pick in the mid-to-late 20’s or even 30s.
Dealing the pick now when the perceived value is more promising may hold more stock than attempting to move up on draft day when it’s potentially greatly diminished in worth. It’s a top 10 protected pick, so even in the case the Avalanche fall off a cliff, the Flyers wouldn’t necessarily reap the rewards. Using the pick to make an offseason trade this summer could be far more useful and valuable than a late-round selection would be if they keep it.
Honorable Mentions
Rasmus Ristolainen
There will always be a market for a big, physical right-handed defenseman. He only suited up for 31 games during the 2023-24 season due to multiple injuries, and he’s got three years left at a $5.1 million cap hit, so his value may not be as high as it could be. But with an overabundance of bodies on the blue line, if the Flyers were to so choose to deal with their problems, Ristolainen could be the one to draw the short straw.
Scott Laughton
At this point, it feels more likely the sun will burn out before the Flyers trade Scott Laughton, but in terms of viable trade chips that could bring the Flyers back anything of substance, Laughton is still pretty high on that list.
Flyers’ 12th overall pick
It is very, very unlikely the Flyers deal their own 12th overall pick at the upcoming draft for main roster help, but if they’re looking to move up a few spots in the draft, using the 12th pick and someone like Bobby Brink may get them the movement up the board they’re looking for.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: Getty Images
brotherlypuck.com 