The general manager (GM) of the Philadelphia Flyers, Danny Briere, hasn’t been shy in shopping some of his players. For many rebuilding teams, no player is truly untouchable. For the Flyers, that is true to a certain extent. Below is every player that will most likely see playing time on opening day for the Flyers, and how willing the team should be to trade that player.
Untradeable
Yes, there are a few untradeable pieces for the Flyers, but not for the right reasons. They are paying a lot of money with some significant term to veteran players that they would have to pay to get rid of in some cases, or not get proper value in others.
Rasmus Ristolainen
It is pretty well-known at this point that Rasmus Ristolainen‘s contract isn’t exactly team friendly. Although he has improved from his 2021-22 campaign, the bar for that was set relatively low. With four years remaining on his $5.1 million average annual value (AAV) contract, he would be a hassle to try to move on from. It wouldn’t make sense to do so, either.
As much flack as Ristolainen gets, he is the team’s best right-handed defenseman on the roster, and he will help them reach the cap floor in the future if they choose to sell off their veterans. In addition, he could be sold off at half retention when the time is right. As of now, there is really no reason to want to trade the 28-year-old; not that the team would be able to anyways.
Sean Couturier
Sean Couturier fits the mold of Ristolainen, but not for the same reasons. He has not played a game with the Flyers since Dec. 18, 2021, but is finally set to return with the team this upcoming season. The remaining seven years on a $7.75 million AAV contract make it pretty difficult to trade him if the team wanted to, especially considering he will be 37 by the time his deal expires. Even if the Flyers wanted to move him, the return would be much less significant than if the trade were made when he actually had some time in the NHL under his belt. There is and probably will not be a reason to shop the veteran center for a few years.
Cal Petersen
When the Flyers acquired the contract of Cal Petersen from the Los Angeles Kings, the whole purpose was to hold onto the deal until he either proves to be an asset valuable to a team or until the two years left on his $5 million AAV contract are finished. At this stage, it seems as though the latter is more likely.
While Petersen might make himself valuable by next season, the Flyers will have to hang onto him until he proves to be a valuable commodity in a starting or backup role.
Tyson Foerster
Tyson Foerster is the only player in this tier for a good reason. Just 21 years old, he has not gotten to prove himself at the NHL level yet which would warrant a trade. If the Flyers think they have something in him, a trade is off the table. If he is the real deal, he will almost certainly be more valuable than any trade that would be offered to the Flyers in exchange for his services.
Would Like to Keep
This tier marks players that are not untouchable, but the Flyers should probably lean towards keeping, whether this be for good or bad reasons.
Travis Sanheim
Travis Sanheim was reportedly in trade talks, but a deal was never made. This is probably a good thing for the Flyers.
Related: Jets Made a Mistake Not Trading for Sanheim
After a down year last season, trading Sanheim would be blatant asset mismanagement. He is absolutely capable of more than that. Under contract for eight years at a $6.25 million AAV price tag, it is not a cost that would completely scare away teams. If he can return to his old form, only then should the Flyers consider making a deal.
Cam York
In his first extended action with the Flyers, Cam York showed he was not just capable of being in the NHL, but a true top-four defender at just 22 years of age.
This season, York will likely see some further improvement. With him being one of the highlighted pieces in the future of the Flyers’ defense, it would be unwise to deal him at all. Considering he is probably undervalued in the market given his limited time in the league, he is a piece that the Flyers should hold on to.
Noah Cates
The rationale applied to York also applies to Noah Cates. He is already an incredible defensive forward with some upside looming in his offensive game.
Cates may never be an elite player in the league, but he sure will be a useful one. Head coach John Tortorella was a pretty big fan of his play, and players like him are generally pretty hard to come by. The Flyers should keep him as long as they can, unless an offer that they cannot resist comes about.
Travis Konecny
Travis Konecny marks one of the more controversial players in this section. All players should be on the table for a rebuild, but he is still just 26 years of age and was a point-per-game player on an otherwise somber Flyers’ offense last season. With two years left on his contract, he might be looking for a pretty rich extension if he continues to perform. This could be something that the Flyers are okay with if the circumstances are right. He stands as one of the very few veteran players that could survive the entirety of a rebuild.
For the Right Price
Genuine trade candidates can be found in this tier. The Flyers shouldn’t just give away these players per se, but they should be listening in on them.
Carter Hart
Strictly focusing on hockey, Carter Hart could be on the chopping block. With how strong the Flyers’ goaltending looks to be in the future, the 25-year-old might be the odd man out.
It would be smart to let Hart be with the Flyers and remain the starter until some of the younger prospects are ready to take the job from him. This could take a while, so there is no rush to move him, but it should be something they consider.
Owen Tippett
Owen Tippett fits here for the same reasons as Hart. The Flyers have some pretty strong wing depth in their pipeline, meaning they should be listening in on some offers. Things don’t always work out the way we think they will when it comes to prospects, so the Flyers shouldn’t ship out the 24-year-old without good reasoning. With his deal expiring at the end of the season, that might qualify as such.
Morgan Frost
Even though Morgan Frost is coming off his best season with the Flyers, he might not stick around as long as some of the players in higher tiers.
Unless Frost can take an even bigger leap this season, he should not be excluded from trade talks. If the price is right, the Flyers could look to trade the 24-year-old.
Joel Farabee
Joel Farabee, unlike Frost, is coming off a bit of a disappointing season. Before, he was seen as a pivotal figure in the Flyers’ future. Now, he should be in the mix for trade talks if teams really want to acquire the 23-year-old. The price would have to be pretty steep to pry him from the Flyers coming off of a down year, however.
Scott Laughton
Clearly, Briere shares the sentiment that Scott Laughton should only be moved for a good price. There were reportedly some pretty wild offers for him, so the GM must believe that the interest will stick. The veteran should not just be shipped out because the team is in a rebuild, but rather because they would no longer have the same value for his services as another team.
Cam Atkinson
Cam Atkinson is an older veteran at this stage of his career, but that doesn’t make him any less valuable to the current team.
Philadelphia should actually look to keep Atkinson if they don’t hear any good offers in the next calendar year. He was a huge energy boost for the team when on the ice, so his value goes beyond what he can produce. The Flyers would have to hear an offer they like before conceding the 34-year-old winger.
Limited Future in Philadelphia
The Flyers have quite a few expendable veterans on the team. With the youth movement getting underway shortly, the older players will have to be moved out for the younger guys to make an impact.
Forwards: Garnet Hathaway, Ryan Poehling, Nicolas Deslauriers
Each of these forwards is in a similar tier. Garnet Hathaway will definitely be the most valuable piece, but his future is probably limited. As for Ryan Poehling, it is unlikely that he lasts past the season unless he is pretty successful. The Flyers might not even give him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. For Nicolas Deslauriers, he still has three years left on his deal, but he will probably be gone after that. The Flyers can only hope to get some value out of him, given he is an important intimidating presence in the league.
Defensemen: Nick Seeler, Marc Staal, Sean Walker
Each of these three defenders have just one year left on their contracts with the Flyers. Nick Seeler was very impressive last season in a third-pairing role, but at age 30, he probably won’t remain with the team beyond this season. Marc Staal was signed as a veteran piece to help give an identity to the team. His advice will probably last longer than he does with the Flyers. Sean Walker was acquired from the Kings as a cap dump and will have a chance to get himself traded to a contender at the deadline if he produces. The Flyers will likely explore other options to fill that role even if he does impress.
We can expect the bulk of trades that Briere makes as GM to be from this year’s trade deadline through that offseason. The Flyers might be looking very different at that time depending on what he and the team decide to do.
