Are the Flyers interested in Tim Thomas? Some say yes, some say no

UPDATE 1:30 AM: Sam Carchidi is quoting a source that says the Flyers have "no interest" in Tim Thomas. He's also reporting that the Flyers would have to be "knocked over" to deal Jeff Carter, but to me that means he's not as "untouchable" as a source told Tim Panaccio earlier.

That's not to say that we're asking for Jeff Carter to be traded or anything, but the notion that Carter would be untouchable when the Flyers are a) stacked at center and b) Carter is the only big contract without a no-trade clause seems a bit off.

Holmgren not giving up Carter easily, but still open to the sheer possibilty of it, makes a lot more sense and should help us sleep a little better on Draft Eve. When all is said and done, as Ben Feldman points out in the comments below, it seems as though nobody really knows what the Flyers have up their sleeves.

ORIGINAL POST 10:39 PM: We got a lot of laughs out of the Boston Bruins this season. There's a possibility that those laughs are quickly going to be turned in the opposite direction, though.

If reports are true, Paul Holmgren and the Flyers have talked with Peter Chiarelli about a trade that would bring goaltender Tim Thomas to town. It looks like those reports are true, too, as reporters in both Boston and Philadelphia have made note of it on Twitter this evening.

First, Tim Panaccio reported the news, and quickly thereafter, Joe Haggerty of CSN New England responded, saying that he's heard the same thing. Yep. The Flyers are actually talking with the Bruins about a trade for Tim Thomas. Get that into your brain for a second.

Now, bring down the rage a notch (just a notch though). It's not all bad. You see, Panaccio also said that the Flyers would have to clear about 5 million in cap space to acquire Thomas, and you wouldn't expect them to trade a guy like Jeff Carter to a team like the Bruins that will no doubt be in direct competition with them next season.

Still, nothing is stopping them from clearing salary in other ways, like trading a guy to another club. This is a possibility, and it's scary. Thomas lost his job to Tuukka Rask this past season, and it wasn't just because Rask is a helluva young goalie.

No, Thomas had quite a bit to do with it as well, and his hefty cap hit -- $5 million a year for the next three years, to be exact --  just screams future hell for the Flyers should they add him to their books. Oh, he has a no-movement clause, too, meaning you can't even ship him to the minors until July 2012, let alone trade him easily.

Sure, we understand that nothing could happen here, and we understand that Holmgren could just be covering all of his bases. But that doesn't mean this thing won't happen. It's in play.

Thomas is old, expensive, and we don't even know if he's good anymore. Why would this trade even be thought of from the Flyers perspective?