With the season about to get rolling, a few names are already starting to bubble into the rumor mill, and the early part of the schedule could matter more than usual. Ryan Lambert of The Hockey News points out that teams have a little more cap breathing room this year, which could make it easier for front offices to strike sooner if the standings turn ugly fast. That sets up a first-month watch list built around clubs that might decide to pivot before the calendar flips to November.
Ryan O’Reilly is one of the clearest candidates. He’s in Nashville with one year left on his contract, and while he doesn’t have a full no-trade clause, the Predators have treated him as if he does. Lambert notes that plenty of teams would love to have him if Nashville decides to move on.
Zach Whitecloud is another name to keep in the mix. He’s in Calgary with two years remaining on a deal that carries a $2.75 million cap hit, and that contract only adds to his value. If the Flames keep leaning into a younger direction, he could become available.
Seattle’s Jared McCann also fits the profile. The 30-year-old is entering the final season of his $5 million deal, and if the Kraken slide, they’d be looking for picks and prospects rather than hanging onto veteran pieces.
Gabriel Vilardi could surface as well if Winnipeg decides to go in a rebuild direction. He’s 27, carries a $7.5 million cap hit through 2031, and has no trade protection, which gives the Jets plenty of flexibility if they choose to listen.
Alexis Lafreniere is the other big name on the board. He’s heading into yet another season of “will this be the year?”
after still not getting to 60 points. If the Rangers stumble early, the chatter around him could heat up again, and Lambert says New York should still be asking for a lot in return.
On the Flyers front, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic said Philadelphia fans should keep an eye on the situation between the Minnesota Wild and defenseman Quinn Hughes, who might want to move closer to the East Coast. Hughes has a strong relationship with Flyers coach Rick Tocchet from their Vancouver days, and he’s also friends with Trevor Zegras. Kurz added that the Flyers had interest in Hughes before the Canucks sent him to Minnesota, and that they were told the Canucks were interested in dealing him to Philadelphia.
That fits a larger pattern for the Flyers. They checked in with the Columbus Blue Jackets about Zach Werenski when that situation got shaky.
They also made the offer sheet for Leo Carlsson. The message, as Kurz put it, is that the Flyers are big game hunting.
Any deal for Hughes would come with a major condition: Philadelphia would want a contract extension in place first, and it might be willing to accept something as short as three years. There’s also speculation about both Quinn and Jack having their contracts expire at the same time.
A few other names came up in the discussion, too. Robert Thomas is staying in St.
Louis after being named captain. The Flyers checked in on Dylan Larkin, but he is not on his trade list.
And the futures of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews will depend on how their teams perform over the next year.
In Other News...
Flyers Still Have A Real Shot At The Star They Need
The Flyers have spent the early part of the offseason reinforcing the idea that they are not just trying to tread water, but trying to climb into a better tier of the Eastern Conference. General manager Daniel Briere has made it clear the club wants a top-line center, and with cap space still available and key restricted free agents already back in the fold, Philadelphia has left itself room to be aggressive when the right opportunity surfaces.
Leo Carlsson remains part of that larger picture after the Flyers matched an $18 million offer sheet to keep the former No. 2 overall pick in the organization, a move that underscored how determined they are to keep building around premium talent. The bigger question now is how soon the Flyers can turn that flexibility into the kind of centerpiece addition that changes the look of the roster, because their pursuit of a difference-maker still feels very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Interest In Dylan Larkin Just Hit One Clear Roadblock
Dylan Larkins trade request immediately put Philadelphia in the mix, at least long enough for the Flyers to check in and see whether there was a path to a deal. There was interest from the Flyers once his situation became public, which made sense for a team still trying to add talent and map out its next phase, but the early conversation did not get far enough to change the bigger picture.
Larkin made his stance clear, and Philadelphia was not part of the conversation he was willing to have. His initial list of acceptable destinations was very short, and that has left the Flyers looking elsewhere as they continue to build around their current roster. The door is not necessarily closed forever, especially if circumstances shift on the management side, but for now this is one more example of the Flyers being connected to a marquee name without getting much traction. [Read more 🡒]
Oliver Bonk Has A Real Chance To Crash The Flyers Blue Line
Oliver Bonks path toward the Flyers blue line has been slower than the organization hoped, but the timing may finally be lining up. The 2023 first-round pick spent most of last season with the AHLs Lehigh Valley Phantoms after an injury pushed back his pro debut, then got a late look with the Flyers and made the most of it in limited NHL action.
Now the opening appears real. With roster spots available after recent departures, Philadelphia is heading toward a training camp where Bonk is expected to push for a place on the blue line, and the conversation is no longer about whether he belongs in the system but how quickly he can turn that opportunity into a regular role. [Read more 🡒]