The Flyers’ rough opening to the 2026-27 season has put their blue line under the microscope, and now Philadelphia is being tied to two defensemen who could help right away.
At 4-8-4 with 12 points, the Flyers sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division. Still, there are signs they’ve started to steady themselves a bit. They’ve won four of their last seven games, and their most recent outing was a 6-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth on Sunday.
Even with that small uptick, the message is clear: if Philadelphia wants to climb back into the playoff picture, the roster needs help, especially on defense. That’s why the Flyers are now being linked to Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson and Calgary Flames blueliner Zach Whitecloud early in the season.
In a recent article for Sportsnet, Frank Seravalli reported that the Flyers have expressed interest in both players.
"Jones had eyes on Flames defenceman Zach Whitecloud and Philadelphia is just one of many teams with interest," Seravalli wrote. "The Flyers have also expressed interest in Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson, as he’d perfectly fit their age scheme, but to this point haven’t gotten firm engagement from the Wings."
Whitecloud may not bring the same headline appeal as Edvinsson, but he fits a need. The 6-foot-2 defenseman could slide into Philadelphia’s top four and help on the penalty kill thanks to his steady, shutdown style.
With the Flames rebuilding, his name has been circulating in trade talk for months, and that makes the Flyers’ interest easy to understand. Through 14 games this season, Whitecloud has one assist, 20 hits and 24 blocks.
Edvinsson would be the bigger swing. The 23-year-old already works as a top-pairing defenseman, and his age lines up with what Philadelphia would want in a long-term piece.
The catch is that he’s a restricted free agent, so any team that lands him would also need to work out a new contract. On top of that, the cost to pry him away from Detroit would be steep, especially with plenty of teams chasing him.
Still, the Flyers would be justified in pushing hard. Edvinsson’s 2025-26 season showed why he’s drawing so much attention, as he finished with nine goals, 25 points and a plus-12 rating in 72 games for the Red Wings.
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