The Metropolitan Division has not been sitting still, and the Flyers need to keep one eye on it while the draft chatter keeps rolling on around the league.
Philadelphia was part of only two of the bigger moves before the draft. The Flyers completed the Sam Ersson-Joseph Woll trade, then sent enforcer Garnet Hathaway to Florida in exchange for draft picks. Around them, though, division rivals have been reshaping their rosters in ways that could matter quickly.
Carolina, fresh off a Stanley Cup title, wasted no time making another move. The Hurricanes re-signed former Flyer Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year deal during the Stanley Cup parade in Raleigh.
They also picked up the right to John Carlson, which gives them the first chance to sign him before free agency begins. There is also the possibility that RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin could be moved because of depth concerns, and he’s the kind of player the Flyers could look at.
Washington has been one of the busiest teams in the division. With Alex Ovechkin’s decision looming, the Capitals have been preparing for what comes next, and they’ve added Jordan Kyrou and Alex Tuch in trades. Those are the kinds of young, high-end pieces that could become the backbone of a new-look Capitals team and create problems for Philadelphia for years, while also making life tougher for Carolina.
The Rangers made a move that looked like the sort of swing the Flyers might have wanted. New York sent a bundle of picks to the cash-strapped Vegas Golden Knights for Pavel Dorofeyev. The Rangers have had a rough stretch, but Dorofeyev brings real scoring punch, and that could help pull them back up the Metro standings.
Pittsburgh stayed active too. The Penguins re-signed Evgeni Malkin and then worked out a deal with Washington to land former first-round center Hendrix Laperriere. He still hasn’t developed into a proven player, but he remains young enough that the upside from his 2020 draft status is still part of the equation.
Then there are the teams at the bottom of the division, and not all of them are improving. New Jersey dealt Simon Nemec for a pile of draft picks, a move that may help later but leaves the present looking shakier. The Islanders, meanwhile, mostly stood pat, which is about as on-brand as it gets for them.
Columbus has become another team worth watching closely. The Blue Jackets were beginning to build something, but that momentum may be slipping away.
Reports say they are shopping Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko, and that Mason Marchment will likely leave in free agency. They did add Colorado forward Val Nichushkin just before the draft, but there is still plenty of movement to monitor there depending on who goes out and what comes back.
The division has been busy from top to bottom, and the Flyers have to make sure they stay in the mix.
In Other News...
Leafs Just Put Danny Briere In A Tough Ristolainen Spot
The Flyers have been trying to set a clear price on Rasmus Ristolainen, with the ask reportedly centered on a first-round pick or something close to that value. It is the sort of stance a front office takes when it still believes there is a market for a big, physical right-shot defenseman, especially one who can help a team in the right role and at the right cost.
Torontos recent move complicates that picture in a way Philadelphia probably would rather avoid. If another club just filled a similar type of need without paying anywhere near the kind of package the Flyers are seeking, it gives rival teams a fresh reference point in negotiations and a reason to push back on the asking price. The result is a tighter market, more skepticism, and a little less room for Danny Briere to hold firm if interest in Ristolainen does not develop the way the Flyers need. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Fans Wont Like Which Current Piece Just Entered Trade Buzz
Rasmus Ristolainen is back in the conversation as the Flyers work through another offseason decision on their blue line. Danny Briere said the defenseman has one year left on his deal and that the club will see what happens with him, which at least keeps the door open as Philadelphia weighs how its roster and cap picture should look heading into next season.
For a team that has spent plenty of time evaluating what it has on defense, Ristolainen landing in trade buzz is hardly a surprise. He is already showing up on league-wide target lists, and with interest circulating around several defenders across the NHL, the Flyers own stance on a veteran who still has some value may end up being one of the quieter decisions that shapes a much louder summer. [Read more 🡒]
What Daniel Brieres Latest Flyers Draft Haul Really Says About The Rebuild
Daniel Brieres latest draft haul gave the Flyers a little bit of everything, and it was the kind of class that says as much about where the rebuild stands as it does about the prospects themselves. Philadelphia came away with six picks in the 2026 NHL draft, spreading its bets across the first, second, fourth, fifth and seventh rounds while targeting defenders, goalies and a center who all arrive with very different timelines and levels of polish.
The broad theme was clear: the Flyers are still hunting for size, skill and future upside, but they are also willing to wait on development instead of forcing quick answers. From a towering first-round blue-liner to a couple of young goaltenders and a late-round defender with barely any junior experience, this was a class built on patience and possibility, the kind of group that could look much different in a few years than it does right now. [Read more 🡒]