The NHL trade deadline is still over 80 days away but the rumors have been swirling earlier and earlier across the league. We’ve already seen a handful of teams make moves and the Philadelphia Flyers may be ready to jump into the pool.
Last week, Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast that he thinks Briere is an active guy around the league and constantly looking at what might be available to make his squad better.
Frank Seravalli also mentioned the Flyers when talking about potential trade partners for another active team: the Los Angeles Kings. Briere already made one deal with the Kings in his first offseason to unload Ivan Provorov and pick up Sean Walker (and other future assets) in a three-way trade.
Could the Kings and Flyers link up again?
“I do think they’ve talked to the Flyers about some of the forwards that they have,” Seravalli said last Thursday. “I don’t think it’s imminent.”
While the Flyers won’t be looking to move Travis Konecny after signing his contract extension — although it’s interesting to think about what the Kings may have offered for him — Seravalli listed off a handful of players who could interest teams like the Kings.
“I think there’s a whole group of guys that teams have been calling about. Frost, Farabee, Scott Laughton, Bobby Brink,” he said. “The one guy that they’re not willing to entertain a conversation on is Tyson Foerster.”
Morgan Frost has had his name in rumors for a bit now and the Flyers seem to have a group of young forwards that they may be willing to move for an upgrade at center, especially if Frost isn’t good enough to play with Matvei Michkov.
Joel Farabee is usually brought up in trade rumors for a few reasons, namely that he wasn’t signed to his current contract by the current management group, and that contract is a $5 million cap hit through 2028. It doesn’t help that he’s represented by the same agency as Cutter Gauthier. If a team is looking for a more experienced player on a reasonable contract, Farabee could be the guy.
We know what the situation is with Laughton at this point. The Flyers have openly admitted that they’d need an overpay for Laughton, and after the team huddled around him in the locker room after his four-goal night, that price may have gone up even more.
Brink has been in and out of Tortorella’s doghouse and could be a useful chip if the Flyers have the opportunity to upgrade down the middle since he is seen as a strict winger that might not have more than middle six upside.
But who might the Flyers want from the Kings?
Quinton Byfield might be who some fans immediately jump to. The 22-year-old forward is having a down year with 13 points through 30 games after putting up 55 points (20 goals) last season. He’s playing more at center now than he had in the past, but the Kings also seem rather committed to him with the five-year, $31.25M ($6.25M AAV) contract he signed over the summer. The second-overall pick from 2020 has a big body and big potential to boot. It would take almost everything the Flyers have of value to have the Kings to even think about moving Byfield — so we can probably stop dreaming about that.
A more realistic target at center would be Alex Turcotte. He’s a bit older at 23 but was also a high pick, fifth overall, in 2019. He’s been up and down between the NHL and AHL in recent years and has just 11 points in 25 games with the Kings this season. He had 29 points in 35 AHL games last year to go with four points in 20 NHL games. That is, as long as the Flyers view the current winger as a player that can play down the middle since he was drafted as a center.
Turcotte is currently getting a chance on the top line for the Kings with winger Trevor Moore out of the lineup, but he could be a change-of-scenery trade candidate if Los Angeles is looking for the NHL experience of a Frost, Farabee, or Laughton. Especially considering that he has largely played a depth wing role.
Keep your eyes peeled to see if anything comes from this. Things should only continue to heat up in the coming weeks and months leading up to the March 7 trade deadline.
