The Philadelphia Flyers have had a rollercoaster of a season. Well, if there is a rollercoaster that is just one hill where you climb up, start to feel good about where you’re going, and then the tracks just end and you plummet to your death. But how will this all affect the upcoming trade deadline? Can they really justify any moves after losing 11 of their last 13 games?
Flyers general manager Danny Briere appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic during the Flyers Carnival last weekend and cleared the air. Specifically, he revealed what the potential plans are for the Flyers before the March 6 trade deadline and if we should expect any big splashes from the team that is currently 24-20-10.
Danny Briere on NHL Trade Deadline plan
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) February 2, 2026
“It’s probably going to be on the quieter side. We’re not looking to unload unless something too good came to us. We’re not looking at rentals… This is not the time to spend assets to try to just get in, to make a push for the playoffs.” pic.twitter.com/EjmeUFROMU
“It’s probably going to be on the quieter side. We’re not looking to unload unless something too good came to us. We’re not looking at rentals … This is not the time to spend assets to try to just get in, to make a push for the playoffs,” Briere said per 97.5 The Fanatic’s Colin Newby.
This has been something that Briere previously mentioned. Last month, he gave an interview to ESPN and mentioned how there should be no expectation for the Flyers to give up major assets for any rentals. Back then, the Flyers were comfortably in a playoff spot and appeared to at least be heading into being a competitive team for the rest of the season — that has obviously changed with their massive slide. So, if the Flyers general manager was saying that back then, it is only more true right now as the Flyers are seven points out of a playoff spot and sixth in the division by points percentage.
Flyers’ Danny Briere provides positive clarity, but tampers excitement
While it is not all that great to hear about how we might not get some tasty transactions to discuss and dissect around the trade deadline, it is at least somewhat comforting that the Flyers’ plan is still in place. They weren’t fooled by the early success they had this season and think that that is the true talent level and ability of this team, and will therefore invest in more win-now pieces to try and bring themselves back into a playoff spot.
Where they stand right now, they would have to climb over the defending Stanley Cup champions, the (failing) Toronto Maple Leafs, a good Ottawa Senators team suffering terrible goaltending, the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Washington Capitals, to even come close to a playoff spot. And then, try to beat out the momentum-filled New York Islanders for that third spot in the division since that’s their only path and the Wild Card spots will be taken by two Atlantic teams most likely.
It’s a bleak picture for where they are right now, and Briere knows it and is planning the Flyers’ trade deadline with that in mind.
Does this mean absolutely no trades are going to happen? Of course not. If someone becomes available that makes sense in the long-term — cough Robert Thomas cough — then we could see something happening. If there isn’t some center or defenseman in the mid-20s who could fit the Flyers plans, then maybe just nothing will happen.
Any other team with the Flyers’ extremely difficult path back to the playoffs, typically has something to sell off as they try to just get to Game 82 as quickly as possible. But, for this dang team, the Flyers just don’t have a lot to actually part with. Rasmus Ristolainen is the biggest piece but with him seemingly getting injured whenever he steps on the ice and the Flyers maybe asking too high of a price, that won’t happen. Trading away veteran Garnet Hathaway could happen, but who really wants a 34-year-old with just two points? And then there lies the “hockey trade” of a winger like Owen Tippett and Bobby Brink — but that feels more like a move for the offseason rather than something in the next month.
This all just results in the fact that we shouldn’t expect a whole lot of transactional fireworks in the coming weeks and it isn’t the worst thing in the world.
