PITTSBURGH — And just like that the NHL’s trade deadline is almost here.
After a rambunctious two weeks focused on the 4 Nations Face-Off, all eyes are now turned to the league’s annual wheelin’ and dealin.’
Flyers general manager Danny Brière could be busy before the clock strikes 3 p.m. on March 7 as he continues to shape the roster in his long-term vision. He already traded homegrown forwards Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost at the end of January, as he, and the brass, decide who is on the bus.
So who is next to go, if anyone? We broke down the Flyers roster one week out from the trade deadline.
Which Flyers are likely to be traded?
Scott Laughton, C/LW: Every year Laughton is rumored to be on the trade block. The forward is well-equipped to handle the chatter by now, but could this be the year he is finally moved? A reliable two-way center who can also be productive on the wing and as a penalty killer, Laughton has versatility that is attractive to teams looking to make a Stanley Cup run. He also has one year left after this season at a $3 million cap hit and would not just be a rental for rumored landing spots, including Winnipeg, which the Flyers play on Saturday, and his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. He also would bring value to any locker room.
Rasmus Ristolainen, D: If coach John Tortorella had his way, the Flyers would keep the blueliner because, “If you trade him Friday, then on Saturday, you say, [expletive], I need a big, right-handed defenseman.” Ristolainen also has term — two years beyond this season at a $5.1 million clip — and, what Tortorella considers, a favorable contract. But there is no denying Ristolainen is a marquee trade chip for the Flyers as teams look to get bigger for the postseason.
Erik Johnson, D: Johnson, who turns 37 next month, is a pending unrestricted free agent and could be a good option for a playoff team looking to add depth to its defensive core. Although he hasn’t played much this season, he has looked steady when called upon and has the postseason experience — i.e., a Stanley Cup — teams look for in a sixth or seventh blueliner.
Which Flyers could be traded if the price is right?
Bobby Brink, RW: Tortorella recently said Brink, in a good way, “plays every game worrying about … just staying in his spot.” The forward has played well and is setting career highs while playing a better defensive game. He shouldn’t get moved, but his stock is on the rise.
Nick Deslauriers, LW: The veteran enforcer has one more year after this season at $1.75 million. A good guy in the room, he hasn’t played much this season — he did miss a good chunk with an injury — but could be utilized for a team as a fourth liner who protects guys during the rough-and-tumble postseason.
Garnet Hathaway, RW, and Nick Seeler, D: Every team, including the Flyers, wants guys like this. Should they be moved? No, but it may make sense if the return is well above the asking price.
Andrei Kuzmenko, LW: Now on his third team in three years, the Russian winger comes with question marks. He has the skill but seems to start strong with clubs before stalling. Tortorella likes what he has seen in a few short weeks, and Kuzmenko’s coachability. But there could be suitors for a guy who can find the back of the net, so the Flyers could flip him. If they do, he is an unrestricted free agent this summer and could always return on a cheaper deal if both parties were so inclined.
Egor Zamula, D: Is the defenseman going to be on the bus? That is the big question right now. He has shown growth at times but is still struggling to find his game and could be a good fit for a team looking to rebuild its blue line.
Ivan Fedotov/Aleksei Kolosov, G: Although there is rampant speculation as to why Kolosov is still on the NHL roster, the Flyers cannot persist with the three-headed monster in net. One of the guys should either get sent down to the American Hockey League — Kolosov is waiver-exempt — or one should be traded.
Which Flyers are unlikely to get traded?
Sean Couturier, C: It’s no secret the former Selke Trophy winner hasn’t been the same since undergoing two back surgeries in 2022. The injuries came just after he had signed an eight-year, $62 million ($7.75 million average annual value) contract to become the face of the Flyers. Couturier is still a responsible defensive center, but no team is trading for a 32-year-old whose best hockey looks to be behind him, and who has five years remaining at his hefty cap hit.
Emil Andrae, D: Limited in stature but not in heart and drive, Andrae is ready to become an NHL regular now. It should be with the Flyers, who need his puck-moving ability. The one exception would be if he’s part of a larger package to land the big-time center the Flyers need.
Jamie Drysdale, D: Teams need guys like Drysdale, with his ability — like Andrae — to move the puck and generate offense from the back end. That said, he is still very much a work in progress. If they were to move him, the only positive for the Flyers is that he looked fantastic against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night, especially when he broke up a pass intended for Sidney Crosby and then delivered the primary assist up the ice.
Cam York, D: He was once thought to be untouchable, but York’s status is not as defined with the Flyers. After a stellar 2023-24, in which Tortorella called him the team’s best defender, he has struggled to find that level this season. He did deal with a shoulder injury early in the year that seemed to stunt his growth but has played better of late.
Noah Cates, C, and Tyson Foerster, LW/RW: Highly unlikely, but they are both restricted free agents who are expected to earn big raises this summer after the seasons they are having. The Flyers need centers and Cates has finally emerged as a top-three pivot, so there’s a low probability he will be moved. Foerster’s chances are a bit higher as teams would love his defensive game with a big shot brimming under the surface.
Ryan Poehling, C, and Owen Tippett, LW/RW: Very unlikely. When confident, Tippett is becoming the guy everyone expected with his speed and skill. He should score 30 goals consistently. Like Tippett, Poehling adds speed to the lineup and is the solid bottom-six center the Flyers have use for, especially if Laughton dealt.
Jakob Pelletier, LW: The Flyers just got the winger, who has some upside as a former first-round pick. He’s a restricted free agent this summer and will be signed for cheap, so no reason to make a rash move — unless he’s part of that big center package we talked about it.
Who on the Flyers is untouchable?
Travis Konecny, RW: Signed to an eight-year extension last summer, the All-Star winger is just hitting his prime and his stride. Konecny has established himself as a bona fide top-line player and is on pace for a career-high 86 points.
Matvei Michkov, RW: Obviously.
Travis Sanheim, D: The other half of “The Travii” is having a breakout season, becoming one of the NHL’s top defensemen in terms of stamina and versatility. The top-pair blueliner boasts a rare combination of size (6-foot-4, 222 pounds) and skating ability, which he just showcased on the international stage. Sanheim, who turns 29 next month, also has a full no-trade clause through the 2026-27 season.
Sam Ersson, G: People want to question whether he is a No. 1 goalie. Why? The Swede continues to prove he can carry the load of games and the weight of being among the NHL’s best. Just look at his stats since the Christmas break — 11-4-2 with a .912 save percentage — and that doesn’t include his stellar performance vs. the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
