The Philadelphia Flyers weren’t exactly a trendy pick heading into the 2025-26 NHL season. Sure, there was some buzz around Matvei Michkov entering year two and the offseason acquisition of Trevor Zegras added flair, but in a loaded Metropolitan Division? Most had the Flyers penciled in as a team still a year or two away from truly contending.
Well, about that.
Through the early stretch of the season, Philadelphia has flipped the script. At 14-7-3, they’re not only in the thick of the playoff race - they’re just three points back of the division-leading Hurricanes.
That’s not just a hot start; that’s a team staking its claim as a legitimate player in the Metro. And now, with the Flyers firmly in the mix, the front office appears to be eyeing ways to level up.
According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, one area of focus is down the middle - and there’s a team out west that could offer a solution: the Vancouver Canucks.
Friedman noted that the Flyers are actively searching for help at center, and there’s a natural connection between Philadelphia head coach Rick Tocchet and several players in Vancouver. Tocchet, of course, coached the Canucks before taking the reins in Philly, and his familiarity with the roster could play a key role if trade talks heat up.
“To me, they have an obvious hole in their lineup still at center, and I think they’re looking,” Friedman said. “I had a couple of people tell me that Vancouver’s got players that Rick Tocchet likes… Nobody knows the Vancouver players better than Tocchet does, right? So a couple of people said to me, ‘You better keep an eye on Philly when it comes to Vancouver’s players.’”
The name that jumps off the page? Elias Pettersson.
Pettersson is the most prominent center on the Canucks’ roster - and someone Tocchet coached during a key stretch of his career, including that electric 102-point campaign in 2022-23. While it might seem far-fetched for Vancouver to move on from a player of his caliber, the Canucks have stumbled out of the gate this season. If things continue to spiral, the idea of a major shakeup becomes more realistic.
Friedman previously reported that Vancouver was open to listening on nearly everyone not named Quinn Hughes or Filip Hronek. That includes Pettersson, who also appeared on Nick Kypreos’ recent trade board - another signal that the Canucks are at least willing to entertain offers.
Now, it’s worth noting that Tocchet and Pettersson didn’t have any personal friction during their time together. The tension in Vancouver back then stemmed more from the dynamic with J.T.
Miller than anything between coach and star center. In fact, with Pettersson rounding back into form this season - showing renewed confidence, a sharper two-way game, and the kind of work ethic Tocchet values - it’s easy to see why the Flyers would be interested.
From a roster-building perspective, Philadelphia is in a strong position to make a move. They’ve got cap flexibility, a deep pool of prospects, and a healthy stack of draft picks. That’s the kind of toolkit teams need when trying to land a top-line center in his prime.
So, while nothing is imminent, and Vancouver may ultimately decide to hold onto Pettersson, the framework for a potential blockbuster is there. If the Canucks continue to struggle and the Flyers keep pushing toward the top of the Metro, don’t be surprised if these two organizations find common ground.
For now, the Flyers are enjoying their unexpected rise. But if they want to turn a good story into a serious playoff push - and maybe more - adding a player like Pettersson could be the kind of move that changes the equation entirely.