If the Philadelphia Flyers have a to-do list for the next several months, finding someone that can realistically be a top-six center on this team going forward, would be at the top of it.
It feels like it is beyond a position of need and it is becoming an internal crisis. The Flyers have been saying it themselves. General manager Danny Briere mentions trying to find a skilled center at every possibility he can, and the team went so far as to spend three of their first four draft picks last year on centers — even further drafting center Jett Luchanko over some other skilled players that play other positions. It’s obvious.
But how are they going to do this? After the trade last Thursday that sent Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames, they have newfound room under the salary cap without commitment to both of those players (Farabee’s $5-million AAV and the raise in pay Frost would require as a restricted free agent). We can do the easy equation ourselves of more money available to spend plus having a position of desperate need equals some sort of center acquisition, but Briere himself said it on the broadcast of Sunday’s game against the Avalanche.
And on Monday morning’s edition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman echoed the same sentiments and think the Flyers are poised to make a big splash soon.
“Danny Briere was on the Philly broadcast and he basically confirmed what everybody had said, is that they’re clearing cap room and they’re going big game hunting. Like, they’re really going to try something,” Friedman said.
But, again, how? There are of course various paths the Flyers can go down: A significant trade to get a young top-six center (which would be incredibly expensive), getting someone in unrestricted free agency who might just be a short-term solution, or there is another tool that the Flyers could pull out, and according to Friedman, we could see it happening more this summer.
“You know, it’s interesting. I had a couple of guys telling me at the new cap numbers, there’s going to be offer sheets this summer. It worked for the Blues. You know, they might not make the playoffs this year, but the Blues got two players who were really going to help them for a long time. And they tink more teams are going to do this. And the Flyers have a lot of room.
“Now, everybody has a bit more cap room. So, I’m not sure if teams are going to be in a better chance to protect themselves against them. But I think Briere basically came out and said the Flyers are going to be a team to watch.”
The NHL’s salary cap ceiling is going to increase to $95.5 million for the 2025-26 season, and then is estimated to go to $104 million and then $113.5 million in the following two years. An insanely dramatic rise that has teams dreaming of what they can do with all the extra room. So, according to Friedman, we might be seeing some more offer sheets sent out and signed by restricted free agents.
The Flyers were not directly mentioned, and it was not confirmed that they are planning to keep an eye out for an offer sheet, or that is the route they are specifically going to go down, but it makes sense. To get a top-six center under the age of 23 would instantly make everything a whole lot easier. Jett Luchanko would fall into place as a middle-six guy of the future, other young prospects surrounding him upfront, and then the blue line would keep developing.
Some restricted free agent centers are the likes of Minnesota Wild’s Marco Rossi, Anaheim Ducks’ Mason McTavish, and Dallas Stars’ Wyatt Johnston — just to name a few — and they could be potential targets for the Flyers. Again, if they decide to do this.
No matter what, it does sound like the Flyers are lasered in on acquiring an impact center this summer. If an offer sheet doesn’t happen, then maybe they will just go out and trade for an even better player. Let us dream.
