The Flyers took their biggest swing of the summer and came up empty.
Philadelphia made a serious run at Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson, putting a five-year, $90 million offer sheet on the table that would have carried an annual salary of $18 million - the richest contract in NHL history by that measure. The cost was steep, too: four first-round draft picks. But the Ducks matched, and the Flyers moved on.
That miss left a simple question hanging over the offseason: would Danny Briere chase another blockbuster? According to The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz, the answer is no. The Flyers aren’t expected to make another home run move this summer, and for now they seem comfortable pushing ahead with the roster they already have.
That approach makes sense given the market. The available options don’t exactly scream game-changer, whether you’re talking free agency or the trade block.
A second offer sheet doesn’t look likely, even with Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli mentioned as a possibility. The Blue Jackets still have major contract business ahead of them with Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko, and Fantilli will need a new deal before the season starts.
Beyond that, the board is pretty thin.
Dylan Larkin is another name in the mix, but the Detroit Red Wings center requested a trade, did not have the Flyers on his preferred destinations list, and it’s unclear whether he would if that list expanded. Outside of Fantilli and Larkin, there just isn’t a realistic difference-maker sitting there for Philadelphia this offseason.
Waiting could pay off.
Next summer’s market looks far more interesting, especially for a team that should have more cap space to work with. Up front, names like Alex DeBrincat, Drake Batherson, and even Nikita Kucherov are set to reach the open market. On the blue line, if the Flyers want a potential replacement for Rasmus Ristolainen, there’s at least a chance that Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes could be available.
And then there’s the superstar lottery ticket - the kind that can change a franchise in one shot.
Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews are the two headliners to watch. McDavid was among the stars expected to hit free agency this summer before re-signing with the Edmonton Oilers on a two-year, team-friendly deal.
But Edmonton underdelivered this past season, and the moves made by general manager Stan Bowman didn’t work out. If the Oilers miss on a Stanley Cup next season, the question becomes whether McDavid would want out.
If that happens, every team in the league will be in the hunt, Flyers included.
Matthews is in a different but equally uncertain spot with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After the team missed the playoffs and made changes in the front office and behind the bench, he didn’t lock himself into a long-term future there. Toronto has had a strong offseason, adding Gavin McKenna, Darren Raddysh, and Sergei Bobrovsky, but if the season goes sideways or the postseason ends badly, Matthews could also become a name to monitor.
For a Flyers team with a relatively young roster, the logic is clear: if a superstar becomes available through trade, they can afford to go after him. If Philadelphia is serious about chasing a Stanley Cup, landing one of the league’s biggest names would move the needle fast.
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Flyers May Have Pushed Ducks Into A Brutal Prospect Dilemma
Philadelphias offer sheet for Leo Carlsson did more than force Anaheim to make a painful decision on a young center. After the Ducks matched the five-year, $90 million deal, they were left with a much tighter cap picture and far less breathing room to handle the rest of their offseason business, including the next contract on the list in Cutter Gauthiers case.
That squeeze has already put some familiar veteran names in the trade conversation, with Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn and Frank Vatrano all viewed as possible ways to open space. It also has the Ducks weighing whether their roster math might push an 18-year-old prospect into the NHL sooner than planned, a kind of ripple effect that shows how one aggressive Flyers move can still be felt well beyond Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]