Philadelphia Flyers veteran players James van Riemsdyk and Justin Braun have the best chances of being dealt by the March 3 deadline date. Players with term remaining on their contracts beyond this year such as Kevin Hayes and Ivan Provorov have also been rumored to be traded.
Travis Konecny’s name has surfaced in trade rumors as it is unknown how many Flyers roster members will be dealt by the upcoming deadline. He has an average annual value (AAV) of $5.5 million in 2022-23 and for two more seasons following this year. After getting points in 17 of 19 games (17 goals, 10 assists) he played in from Dec. 1 to Jan. 11, he has only six points (two goals, four assists) in his following 15 contests played from Jan. 14 to Feb. 18. If they receive an offer for him that includes prospects and multiple draft picks, general manager Chuck Fletcher could consider the trade as they are aiming to acquire future assets. Let’s take a look at three clubs in a position to make the postseason that could be interested in acquiring him.
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are one of the top clubs in the Western Conference and will look to make significant additions by the trade deadline. They have been rumored to be a suitor for Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews or Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Pierre-Luc Dubois is a restricted free agent (RFA) and it is uncertain if he will return following the 2022-23 season. Konecny has term on his contract following the season and is only a year older than Dubois. When discussing the possibility of Provorov being a target for the Jets on the Jan. 9 episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman mentioned how their front office prefers players with term remaining on their current deals. The Flyers’ forward could provide offensive production anywhere throughout the Jets’ top nine.
Friedman said on the Feb. 15 edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast that while there may be interest in Konecny from other clubs, it is unlikely the Flyers deal him by the deadline:
I know people have wondered if they’re gonna move him, and he’s really struggling, at least production-wise, but [head coach John Tortorella] paid him a really big compliment the other day about how hard he’s playing. I heard Philly said to someone like ‘Why would we do that? He’s signed for three years, we need players, you have to get people in your building.’ I think they said ‘You really have to make it worth our while for us to consider it.’
– Elliotte Friedman
To Friedman’s point, the Flyers need some experienced players to go along with their rebuild and may not have an interest in moving Konecny especially if Tortorella is a supporter of his. However, a playoff-contending team may be willing to part with future assets for the 25-year-old that would be difficult for the Flyers’ front office to turn down. A potential trade could be the Flyers sending him and defenseman Nick Seeler to the Jets for their 2024 and 2025 first-round picks, Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg. Fletcher is looking for a significant return for Konecny and Perfetti is a young, exciting forward that has been instrumental to the Jets’ success this season. Samberg is another top young player for them who could have a key role in the Flyers’ rebuild.
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are in the mix to qualify for the postseason as they tied with the Minnesota Wild for the second wild card spot. They are only ranked 17th in goals for per game played (GF/GP) with an average of 3.14 goals and are 24th in power-play percentage (PP%) at 19.4%. Last offseason they lost Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk and added Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri, and MacKenzie Weegar. Suffice it to say, this season has not gone to the liking of GM Brad Treliving, the coaching staff, or the roster. They had Stanley Cup aspirations at the start of the season but they have underachieved. Huberdeau has struggled mightily in his first year with the Flames, as he will fall well short of his 115-point season in 2021-22. Making significant changes to their roster has not worked out and it would be a massive disappointment if they missed the playoffs.
Konecny would give the Flames a solid addition that increases their forward depth. According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, they need a top-six scoring winger and he has set a new career high with 26 goals through 51 games. Head coach Darryl Sutter could place him in his top nine with players such as Tyler Toffoli, Huberdeau, and Kadri. He has more points than anyone on the Flames’ roster and would give them a boost offensively. They would need the Flyers to take on some of his salary to be in a better position to afford him this season. Depending on the return date of Oliver Kylington, Treliving may be in the market for another defenseman. A potential deal between the organizations could involve the Flyers taking on $2 million of Konecny’s salary, and trading him along with Seeler for a 2024 first-round draft pick, a 2025 second-round draft pick, Jakob Pelletier, and prospect Connor Zary.
Carolina Hurricanes
After the injury to Max Pacioretty, the Carolina Hurricanes will be looking to increase their depth as they hope to take advantage of their window to win a Stanley Cup within the next three seasons. They are capable of winning a championship as they have a good roster and one of the league’s top coaches in Rod Brind’Amour. They will look to acquire players to help improve their 22nd-ranked power play percentage of 20%. Konecny is third on the Flyers with 14 power-play points (PPP) and would rank near the top of the Hurricanes’ roster in points on the man advantage. Only Martin Necas and Brent Burns have more power-play points than him and he would be joining a good core of offensive players that also includes Sebastian Aho.
The Hurricanes will be looking to improve their depth on defense and acquire another blueliner by the trade deadline. The Flyers could include Seeler in a deal as that will give the Hurricanes an extra defenseman for the playoffs. A package would be Konecny and Seeler for the Hurricanes’ 2024 and 2025 first-round draft picks, Seth Jarvis, and prospect Jack Drury. Servalli wrote they could use an elite top-six forward and while Konecny is not considered among the league’s best, he is a solid addition that improves their offensive depth entering the postseason. If the Hurricanes miss out on acquiring a top forward like Timo Meier, GM Don Waddell may decide to look into trading for a player like the Flyers forward. They have plenty of cap space and will aim to make a key addition to put them in an even better position to win a championship this year.
Related: Flyers News & Rumors: Trade Deadline, Konecny, Comcast Shake-Up
It is unlikely Konecny gets traded by the Flyers unless they are overwhelmed with an offer. He has been one of the few members of the roster that has succeeded under John Tortorella in his first year coaching the club. If GM Fletcher were to trade the 25-year-old forward, it is clear they are selling high on his value based on his career season. If they get a massive trade offer for him, the front office may consider it if they believe it will put them in a good position for their rebuild. If a GM of a playoff team were to acquire him, it would be an astute move that could have a big payoff. He did well during the last year the organization was competitive during the 2019-20 season as he finished with 61 points. He is likely to surpass that point total this year and could improve even further with a better supporting cast on a playoff team.