The Philadelphia Flyers could get aggressive this summer and it could involve getting the best defenseman to hit the open market since, well, Quinn Hughes less than a year ago.
Zach Werenski could be edging his way out of the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 29-year-old elite blueliner is fresh off of a Norris Trophy win and by all accounts, is sick and tired of spending his career on a team that is rarely (if ever) in the playoff conversation. While it is expected that the big players in the league, such as the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning, are going to really push hard to draw Werenski in, there was a bit of a surprise name.
Somehow, the Flyers were among the first teams named linked to Werenski in trade talks. We’re serious. The Philadelphia Flyers were almost immediately pointed at by NHL insiders as a team already making calls to Columbus and seeing what it would take to bring in Werenski to Philadelphia.
Obviously, Werenski would have to wave his no-movement clause and agree to a trade to the Flyers, and then Danny Briere would need to entice the Blue Jackets enough with a trade package that they would accept. And what should that trade package involve?
Werenski has just two years left under contract before hitting unrestricted free agency. With no guarantees of a contract extension (just like the Quinn Hughes move to Minnesota), what really should the Flyers give up for potentially a short stint of having one of the best defensemen in the NHL on their blue line? Of course there’s the added factor that the Flyers are going to try to convince Werenski to re-sign in Philadelphia for the year leading up to his extension eligibility — but really, what could the trade look like?
One named popped to the front of our heads: Matvei Michkov.
Does it make sense to include Michkov, a player that we feel has barely scratched the surface of his actual potential and that we’ve seen dominate games, in a trade with the Blue Jackets for Werenski?
We asked several writers here at Broad Street Hockey for their thoughts.
What if Matvei Michkov was included in the trade to get Zach Werenski?
Jason M: For a team as starved offensively as they’ve been the last few years, giving up on Michkov this early seems hasty, rash and inane. He had a crappy season yet still ended up with 51 points in his sophomore year, which isn’t all that bad. On the other hand, a current Norris Trophy winner doesn’t come around all that often, particularly one who isn’t in the homestretch of his career and could have a lot of tarmac ahead of him in Werenski. If this deal presented itself next summer, it would be a lot easier to make the choice one way or the other. Michkov should be good this season, better than 51 points. What makes it difficult is the age of the Russian winger. Giving up on him this young seems foolish. If the Flyers were closer to contention, then it might be worth considering. However, a deal for Werenski should put them on another level. It’s a decision that would make or break Briere moving forward. But right now I would be 49 per cent yes, 51 per cent no.
Thomas: A team doesn’t trade a player like Michkov when he hasn’t even turned 22 years old yet, unless it is for that player that can almost guarantee them a deep run into the playoffs. Unfortunately for everyone who hates this question, Zach Werenski is that type of player. Even if he’s going into his 30s and has two years left on his contract, he is the reigning Norris Trophy winner and has been one of the five best defensemen in the world for the last few years.
Factor in that Michkov is getting buried with other wingers ahead of him and he’s going to most likely be on the third line to start the season, doesn’t it make sense to get something franchise-changing for a player that the coach might not even play that much? It’s maybe the worst possible way to think about the trade, but if room isn’t really going to be made for Michkov to play at the top of the Flyers’ lineup, then why not get one of the best blueliners on the planet? It forces the Flyers to have more of a win-now attitude and some people might not like that, but at least it would be entertaining.
Cole: I’m typically a no on any question that has to do with trading your theoretical franchise player when he’s not even 22, but Werenski is on the short list of players where I strongly consider it. The immediate impact you’d get on the power play, on the breakout, and just overall with his offensive impact would be so enormous for this team. And hey, if they are going all in to build this team on the wings and on defense, might as well get one of the best defenseman in the world to lead it. Like Thomas said, I wish Michkov was getting more time in a top-sox position, but the reality is he’s not. If he doesn’t get it next year either, what does his value look like around the league come next June? A lot of how I think about this is predicated on whether Werenski is willing to sign long-term, but he’s one of the only players I’d even think about putting Michkov in a trade for.
Jacob: I think this is a very silly premise, that depends on Werenski essentially wanting to end his career in Philadelphia, which flies in the face of most of the general trends that we’ve seen regarding members of the U.S. Olympic team that have asked out. But, I would trade essentially any asset in the organization bar Porter Martone to try and acquire Werenski on a long-term deal. If you get Werenski solely for the remainder of his contract, and he still hits free agency afterwards, I think you’re drastically shortening your competitive window, while you still lack a true 1C or any semblance of a power play setup.
Evan: There’s a very real and scary outcome where the Flyers trade Michkov for Werenski only for Werenski to leave in free agency in two years. It feels a lot like a move for a team ready to open their contention window as opposed to a team dedicated to rebuilding “the right way” and in a sustainable manner. While the path to the top of the lineup in Philadelphia seems muddy for Michkov at the moment, I don’t think his development will be hampered in too meaningful a way to hold on to him and see if he turns into what we think he’s capable of.
While Werenski would instantly be the best player on the team for those two years, you would then be looking at giving a 31-year-old a $100 million-plus extension or he’d surely find it elsewhere. I think Werenski is a great fit for this team, but I’m not convinced it’s the right move for where the Flyers are at right now— especially not at the expense of Michkov.
