The Flyers may have missed out on Leo Carlsson, but that doesn’t change the bigger picture: this is still a team with real reasons to believe it can take another step.
Yes, Daniel Briere came up short on that pursuit. Plenty of fans were already imagining Carlsson in orange and black.
But the disappointment shouldn’t erase what Philadelphia already did last season. The Flyers got back to the playoffs for the first time in five years, clinched their spot on the next-to-last day of the season, and spent a big chunk of the year in the mix before a brutal December-January slide.
Once they got in, they also went out and stunned the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round.
That matters. So does the fact that this group is still young and still learning how to play together.
Other Metropolitan teams have made loud moves this offseason, but the Flyers have a chance to grow into themselves with another year of shared experience. That alone gives this roster a different kind of upside.
Up front, the shape of the team already looks promising. The current forward group can be lined up in a way that gives Philadelphia a legitimate four-line look.
The top unit has the feel of a steady veteran group. The Zegras line, meanwhile, has the ingredients to turn into a dangerous scoring line.
There’s also a lot to like about the idea of Martone and Foerster together. Cates might fit better as the center for that group, but he could also help bring Bump along and get Michkov back on track.
And that’s before even getting to the extra names. Denver Barkey, Jett Luchanko, and RFA Nikita Grebenkin are also in the mix. There’s still a path for other Flyers free agents to return too, including Karsen Dorwart, Luke Glendenning, and Rodrigo Abols.
The blue line looks more settled at the top. The top four defensive spots are basically spoken for, once Drysdale is re-signed.
The real questions sit lower on the depth chart. Ristolainen could be traded, or he could still be around for part or all of the season.
Jiricek is waiting for a chance to make his mark. Bonk is another name to watch.
And Benoit could end up as the seventh defenseman.
That back end is part of why the Flyers’ offseason approach makes sense. A lot of fans have been begging for a center for years, but a difference-making defenseman would have been a major addition too. Maybe that was part of the thinking behind drafting Maksiim Sokolovskii.
In goal, the Flyers have already made one move that looks important. Briere’s decision to extend Dan Vladar was both smart and necessary.
Vladar had a strong season as the Flyers leaned on him, and that trust was rewarded with a fair deal. Briere also opened the offseason by trading for Joseph Woll.
Not everyone will love that move, but it fits. The Flyers wore Sam Ersson down until he was basically ineffective in net.
Aleksei Kolosov hasn’t shown he can handle even AHL talent, much less NHL shooters. Carson Bjarnsson is still too young and too raw.
Philadelphia does have goalie talent deeper in the system and has already drafted two more, so this is clearly a long-view play.
Bjarnasson looks like the future, but there’s no reason to rush him. Let him develop.
And if he doesn’t pan out, the Flyers have backup plans ready. Right now, for the first time in years, the goalie rotation looks stable.
So are the Flyers true contenders yet? Maybe not, especially with the Carolina Hurricanes standing in the way.
But this is still a team that can make life miserable for opponents. It has a useful blend of veteran presence and young talent, and there’s still time for Briere to keep working.
It’s only mid-July. There’s a lot of runway left before training camp. Anything can still happen between now and then.
In Other News...
Flyers May Be Cornered Into Their Riskiest Center Swing Yet
The Flyers still have a glaring need down the middle after missing on Leo Carlsson, and that has pushed the search for a true No. 1 center into far riskier territory. With few clean answers available, the front office is at least weighing whether a major swing is worth the cost, especially if it means chasing a player with the kind of ceiling Philadelphia has been trying to find for years.
Elias Pettersson fits the profile of a high-end fix, but the fit comes with plenty of baggage. His contract runs deep into the next decade at a hefty cap hit, and his recent production has been uneven after earlier seasons in Vancouver that suggested a much higher offensive level. For the Flyers, the appeal is obvious, but so is the danger of tying up major resources in a move that has to clear a lot of hurdles before it can even get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Have A Plan For Two Massive Payday Decisions Looming
The Flyers are already staring at two of the biggest contract decisions on their horizon, with Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov both lining up as players who could command major paydays in the near future. That is the reality of building around young talent, and it is why Danny Briere has spent time structuring the rest of the roster in a way that leaves the club some room to maneuver if the cap picture gets tight.
Martones rise has him looking like a strong Calder Trophy candidate, while Michkovs next step will help shape how aggressively the Flyers have to move when his turn comes. Briere has given himself some flexibility by keeping enough salary mobility in the system, but the real challenge is obvious enough: Philadelphia may be forced to pay for two cornerstone talents before long, and the timing of Michkovs performance could make that bill even more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Jamie Drysdale Just Became A More Complicated Flyers Decision
Jamie Drysdales next contract has become a little less straightforward for the Flyers after a busy stretch of defense market activity around the league. Recent deals have pushed the price higher for blueliners in his lane, and what had once looked like a fairly clean negotiation now carries a different feel as Philadelphia weighs where Drysdale fits in its long-term cap picture.
The expectation still is that both sides land on a multi-year agreement before arbitration, but the rising market changes the conversation for a team that has already got other business on the horizon. Philadelphia also has to keep an eye on Matvei Michkovs next deal down the road, which only adds to the sense that the Flyers are building toward a more complicated summer calendar than they may have first expected. [Read more 🡒]