The Flyers’ second straight win has given the room a little life, but it may also be forcing Danny Briere into a tougher roster call than the one he was staring at during that ugly 0-6-3 start.
Philadelphia went into Monday with five regulars out injured - Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York - and that depleted group has opened the door for younger players and elevated roles to matter more. Over the past two games, the Flyers have looked their sharpest with that mix of youth and opportunity, and that’s where the roster squeeze starts to get real.
Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov have clicked immediately, combining for four goals and two assists over the last three games. Flyers sources said the two are really enjoying skating together, and that was clear at Monday morning skate before the game against the Colorado Avalanche.
Trevor Zegras has also found a better gear after moving back to the wing next to Christian Dvorak. He had a slow opening to the season, but over the last two games he’s put up one goal and three assists. A team source told Daily Faceoff it is fair to view Zegras as a winger going forward.
Then there’s the depth layer that keeps building. Alex Bump and Cole Knuble, both recalled, were on a line with Denver Barkey against the Avalanche. Add those names to Martone, Michkov and Zegras, and the Flyers suddenly have more wingers than obvious spots.
That’s why, even with the team playing better, trade talk hasn’t gone away. As reported last week, the Flyers were already considering asking Konecny to waive his no-movement clause if the season kept going sideways. Now, with the club trending upward and the wing group looking crowded, there is a belief that Philadelphia could still explore moving Konecny even if the results keep improving.
Konecny, 29, has appeared in only five games and has three assists. He’s still an effective even-strength player, but his power-play struggles have stood out, and those issues date back to last season’s playoffs.
League sources said there remains strong interest in the 2015 first-round pick despite the fact he is in the second season of an eight-year, $70-million deal. With the salary cap rising, his $8.75 million AAV is seen as fair value for the kind of roughly 70-point offense he’s usually produced.
Tippett is drawing his own attention. Team sources said the Flyers have gotten more calls on him than on Konecny historically, though that is believed to be tied in part to Konecny’s NMC creating an extra hurdle.
Tippett, 27, has a 10-team no-trade list through 2030 and carries a $6.2 million AAV through 2032. He has one goal and one assist in nine games this season, even though he’s a three-time 27-goal scorer.
One Western Conference general manager told Daily Faceoff that Konecny is seen as the “better all-around player.” Tippett brings more burst, but if a team is trying to pair a forward with a top-line star, Konecny is the one they would likely chase because he creates more.
A team source said the Flyers are at a point where something eventually has to “have to give” with the wing logjam. That could mean exploring trade options on more than one winger as the organization tries to find a top-six center.
One possible target is Seattle center Matty Beniers, though there’s no sign right now that Kraken GM Jason Botterill wants to move the 2021 second-overall pick. A Kraken source told Daily Faceoff last week that Seattle likes Foerster, but that’s not a name Philadelphia wants to part with. A source also said Tippett plus a center prospect such as Jett Luchanko would be a more appealing package from the Flyers’ side for a player like Beniers.
On defense, Oliver Bonk keeps making his case. The 2023 first-round pick has stepped into a top-pair role beside Travis Sanheim, averaging 20 minutes across his first five games and picking up two assists.
Hunter McDonald also held his own in Monday night’s season debut, playing 10 minutes with David Jiricek.
That kind of emergence could complicate Cam York’s place in the picture if Bonk and McDonald keep sticking. York’s name is now circulating as potentially available, though he hasn’t been the center of active trade talks. The 25-year-old struggled before getting hurt and is in the second year of a five-year deal with a $5.15 million AAV and no trade protection.
Ristolainen’s situation is simpler, at least on paper. The 31-year-old has been available for the right price for nearly three years, and even if he stays put for one reason or another, there’s no reason to expect an extension at this point.
In Other News...
Flyers Face An Early Test As Buffalo Brings A New Problem
The Flyers arrive in Buffalo with a little momentum after shaking off a slow start and winning two straight, a welcome shift as they head into KeyBank Center for an early-season test. Philadelphias recent uptick has given the group a steadier feel, and the matchup offers another chance to see whether the gains they've made can hold up against a Sabres team that is just coming off a road trip through Canada.
Buffalo also brings a different look this time, with the club expecting one of its top blue-liners back in the lineup after time away. The projected goalies, betting odds and forecast all point to a game that should be tight enough to hinge on the details, which is exactly the sort of spot where Philadelphia can find out whether its recent surge is something more than a short-lived bounce. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers May Have Finally Found A Power Play Fit For Michkov And Zegras
Rick Tocchet has been shuffling the Flyers power-play setup in search of a better fit, and the early signs have been encouraging. The changes have given Matvei Michkov a more natural lane to operate in, and the unit has looked sharper since the coach adjusted the personnel and spacing around him.
The real intrigue is how Trevor Zegras has been used in the mix, with Tocchet trying to unlock more from a group that needed a jolt. Michkovs recent power-play production has helped validate the approach, but the broader question for Philadelphia is whether this alignment can stick once opponents start game-planning for it. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Surge Just Changed Danny Brieres Trade Deadline Pressure
The Flyers spent the early stretch of the season trying to keep their footing while key players were hurt and the results lagged behind the effort. General manager Danny Briere resisted the temptation to force a move during that rough patch, in part because the roster was so banged up and in part because there was little reason to sell off pieces when the team had yet to find any rhythm.
A small surge has changed the tone around the front office, though, and it has added a different kind of pressure. Two straight wins, including one over the Colorado Avalanche, gave the Flyers a little more breathing room and showed younger players can help steady the lineup, which makes Brieres trade-deadline decisions look a lot less straightforward than they did just a short time ago. [Read more 🡒]