The 2026 NHL trade deadline is just a week away, and the Philadelphia Flyers have some decisions to make, especially now that they sit far enough out of a playoff spot where they can’t really pretend buying is even going to be considered. So who should most likely be getting moved on March 6? Let’s take a look!
Number 5: Owen Tippett
The Flyers should consider parting ways with Tippett in the name of creating space for other roster additions, but the fact that he has six more years on his contract with a $6.2 million cap hit is going to make any trade, deadline or otherwise, unlikely. The Flyers are on the clock now, given Tippett has trade protection kicking in this summer when the new league year starts, but expect this to be an offseason move (if it happens at all) instead of a deadline deal.
Number 4: Nick Seeler
Seeler’s name briefly popped up on the trade rumor mill right before the Olympic break. He still has a full no-trade clause for the remainder of this season, which is still totally absurd and going to make any move a bigger headache than it should be. But, theres virtually no reason why the Flyers should be clinging to this guy to begin with. If some team out there wants to give them something for him, the Flyers should not be rejecting it.
Number 3: Bobby Brink
One of the many Flyers wingers are going to have to bite the bullet soon if they want to add Porter Martone to the team, potentially as soon as the end of this season. Brink, despite his continued growth, has always felt like the odd man out of this current group, and given his status as a pending restricted free agent, he may be the easiest to deal away. What kind of return can the Flyers get for him by himself? Probably nothing of notable substance.
Number 2: Noah Cates
Center is a long-standing problem for the Flyers, who have largely refused to address the position with any kind of legitimacy for over a decade now. The trio of Couturier-Dvorak-Cates are all under long-term contracts, so if the front office wants to make changes (LOL) they’re going to have to move one of them, and Cates is going to be the easiest of the three to part ways with. Are people lining up for Cates? Did he do anything this season to help his value? Nope.
Number 1: Rasmus Ristolainen
The Flyers have been refusing to trade Ristolainen for the last few years now despite supposedly shopping him at various deadlines and offseasons. Now, considering he’s blown out the same arm twice and still has a year left on his contract with a $5.1 million AAV, the Flyers once again have a decision to make, this time feeling a bit more pressure to do so, especially factoring in that he could very well be the only player that actually gets moved at the deadline.
His stock may have risen after winning bronze with Team Finland at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but his value still isn’t going to be anything crazy. The recent injury history is going to quash the major return they were likely to get for him in the past, but moving on from him is still the right call to unclog the defense.
Honorable mentions
Christian Dvorak
I mean, technically, it’s not too late to ditch Dvorak, but good luck finding some team to voluntarily take on his 5×5 extension with upcoming trade protection that kicks in during the summer.
Emil Andrae
This one seems ill-advised, but it sure seems like Rick Tocchet wants to to give up on Andrae instead of developing him just like every other young player on the roster. If the org hates the guy that much they should look to move him before stomping out any more of his value. He’s probably best served as a throw-in as part of a bigger trade… maybe packaged with Brink to land something of substance?
Sean Couturier
A boy can dream, right?
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
photo credit: nhl.com
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