Philadelphia’s defensive problems are already pushing the Flyers toward the trade market.
After Wednesday’s loss to the Washington Capitals, head coach Rick Tocchet didn’t hide his frustration with how his team is playing without the puck.
“I don’t think we’re defending hard enough,” Tocchet said. “Last year, we had an identity of a pretty good defending team.
This year, not so much. I know we have some veterans out; I don’t think we’re defending hard enough.
I don’t think we value the defending part of the game. It’s always a concern because you want your team to defend hard, and that gives you a chance every night.”
That message lands at a time when Philadelphia already appears open to making in-season moves. The quiet offseason, including the week the Flyers spent waiting on the answer to the Leo Carlsson offer sheet, left the door open for upgrades during the year.
The biggest need at forward still hasn’t gone away. A No. 1 center remains a glaring issue, and with Trevor Zegras looking like a full-time winger again, that need may be even bigger now. Even so, the first area that could get addressed looks to be the blue line.
Frank Seravalli of SportsNet has tied the Flyers to two defensemen: Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames and Simon Edvinsson of the Detroit Red Wings.
Whitecloud is the more straightforward fit. He’s 29, in year 5 of a 6-year contract with a $2.75 million AAV, and he’s settled into a third-pair role for Calgary while handling the first penalty-kill unit.
The 6’2″ right-shot defenseman doesn’t bring much offense, but he does bring size, toughness, and a shutdown style that could steady Philadelphia’s back end. The main question mark is skating - he lacks speed and can get exposed if he isn’t in the right position.
Still, as a third-pair upgrade, he makes sense.
Edvinsson is the bigger swing.
The 6’6″ Swedish defenseman remains unsigned and has until December 1st to get a new deal done, which adds urgency to the situation. Detroit has not agreed to terms with him yet, and the Red Wings would prefer to keep him. Seravalli said the Flyers have checked in, though they haven’t received firm engagement from Detroit.
If the Red Wings ever do open the door on Edvinsson, Philadelphia could be ready to step in. The 23-year-old checks a lot of boxes for the Flyers: he’s big, physical, fits the team’s age range, and is a strong skater. In style, his game draws a comparison to Travis Sanheim, with a chance to bring a little more offense.
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