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  • NHL free agency news: Flyers extend Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, add depth forwards; big names on the move

    NHL free agency news: Flyers extend Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, add depth forwards; big names on the move

    • What you should know
    • NHL free agency officially opened at noon on Wednesday, meaning the Flyers could begin signing free agents from other teams. Here’s everything you need to know.
    • The Flyers quickly inked goalie Dan Vladař to a longterm extension, worth $27.5 million over five years.
    • Tyson Foerster signed a massive eight-year extension with the Flyers at an average annual value of $7.1 million.
    • They also agreed to a two-year deal with Noel Acciari, who is expected to be their fourth-line center.
    • Before those deals, the Flyers had about $32.7 million in cap space, a number that will drop to around $17 million if the team re-signs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale as expected.
    • Defenseman John Carlson and center Dylan Larkin remain among the list of top trade targets for the Flyers.

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 5:47pm

    Zach Werenski staying in Columbus despite trade speculation

    The Flyers won’t be landing Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski.

    After weeks of speculation and a vetoed trade to Dallas, Zach Werenski is staying in Columbus after all.

    The Blue Jackets and Werenski released statements Wednesday saying that Werenski wants to stay in Columbus and maintains his desire to win there. The statement including the following:

    “The past two seasons have been very challenging ones, but also ones of growth for our team. Our goals from ownership on down and Zach’s goals are the same … to win a Stanley Cup. Our city and our fans deserve nothing less and we are all on the same page working towards that end. Zach has been a very important part of this organization and our community for a long time, and we couldn’t be happier that he will continue to be moving forward.”

    Werenski, who won the Norris Trophy last season as the league’s best defenseman, echoed similar sentiments.

    “[President of hockey operations Don Waddell] and I have had very open and honest dialogue since the season ended” his statement said. “Ideally, this wouldn’t have become such a public thing but that is the world we live in now and everything got blown out of proportion in my opinion. I want to win and I want to do that in Columbus.

    “As I’ve thought about things and discussed everything with my wife and family, we want to be in Columbus. It has been my home for the past 10 years and I have always been proud to be a Blue Jacket. We have the best fans in the NHL. I love my teammates and coaches and I’m looking forward to doing everything I can to get us back in the playoffs to compete for a Stanley Cup. Don and I are completely aligned on that and are excited about what’s to come with our team.”

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 5:24pm

    Senators sign two more Phantoms players

    After signing former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson earlier on Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators have signed two former Flyers farmhands in defenseman Christian Kyrou and center Philip Tomasino.

    Kyrou and Tomasino were both in-season additions for the Phantoms and both put up strong numbers in the AHL. The Flyers did not qualify either player by Monday’s deadline.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 4:59pm

    Flyers add more AHL depth with Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen

    In addition to Zach Aston-Reese and Danila Klimovich, the Flyers announced they have signed AHLers Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen as they look to fill out their roster in Lehigh Valley.

    Studnicka, 27, has bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL with Boston, Vancouver, San Jose, and last year in Florida. He had 30 points for the Charlotte Checkers last year in 41 games and was held pointless in 19 games with the Panthers. The forward has just 16 points in 126 NHL games but has been a productive American leaguer throughout his career.

    The last name Dineen may ring a bell in Philly, but Cam is not related to former Flyers captain Kevin Dineen or Kevin’s father, and former Flyers coach, Bill Dineen. The younger Dineen is 28-year-old defenseman and a native of Toms River, N.J. A former third-round pick, he has played almost 400 games in the AHL.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 4:09pm

    Flyers make Grundström deal official

    Source: Flyers to bring back forward Carl Grundström on a one-year deal

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 4:06pm

    Reports: Darnell Nurse headed to San Jose

    After weeks of twists and turns, the Darnell Nurse saga has come to a conclusion that will not see him follow in his uncle Donovan McNabb’s footsteps in Philly.

    Nurse, who beat the Oilers to the punch by demanding a trade this summer, is headed to San Jose in a trade that will see defensive defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin go the other way. In the end, the Oilers, somewhat miraculously, did not have to retain any of Nurse’s $9.25 million salary.

    The Inquirer reported a few weeks back that there was mutual interest between Nurse and the Flyers, but only if the Oilers retained some of Nurse’s salary. In the end, the Oilers found a dance party and the Flyers rightfully walked away from the negotiating table for the 31-year-old blueliner.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 3:56pm

    Former Flyer Andrei Kuzmenko signs with Pens

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 3:33pm

    Darnell Nurse could expand his trade list

    Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse (left) already had the Flyers on his shortlist.

    The Flyers have been confirmed as one of three teams rugged defenseman Darnell Nurse would be willing to accept a trade to. But that list could soon grow. With Edmonton yet to find a deal, Sportsnet reports that Nurse could add teams to his list, with San Jose mentioned by Elliotte Friedman.

    One potential hang-up with Nurse is salary retention, as the Flyers likely would want Edmonton to pay at least 25-30% of Nurse’s $9.25 million cap hit. That would bring Nurse down to a much more manageable $6.5-7 million player, and make him a more attractive proposition as a second-pair guy. The Flyers also could be waiting things out on the blue line, as they are reportedly still in the mix for Zach Werenski and John Carlsson, and also have a decision to make with Rasmus Ristolainen.

    Nurse, 31, is a left-shot who brings toughness and shot suppression to a team’s back end. He also happens to be the nephew of former Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 3:23pm

    Flyers add more depth with forward Zach Aston-Reese

    The Flyers continued to add organizational depth Wednesday with the signing of NHL veteran Zach Aston-Reese. Aston-Reese’s deal is a two-year one-way/two-way deal, which will see the NHL vet make $850,000 this season.

    Best known for his time with the Penguins, the veteran forward has compiled 49 goals and 102 points in 416 career NHL games. The 31-year-old split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL team in Cleveland, tallying five points in 27 NHL games and another 16 points in 27 AHL contests. Aston-Reese, who can play center or wing. will be expected to compete for an NHL spot in training camp, but seems more likely to be ticketed for an AHL job.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 3:19pm

    Blackhawks give Bowen Byram highest AAV for a defenseman ever

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 2:37pm

    Toronto reportedly lands Sergei Bobrovsky

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 2:35pm

    Former Flyer Scott Laughton reportedly returning to Kings

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 2:33pm

    Phantoms’ point leader Lane Pederson heads to L.A.

    Flyers farmhand Lane Pederson has found a new home in Los Angeles.

    Pederson, who had 23 goals and 48 points to lead the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season, got into five games with the Flyers last season. The first year of Pederson’s deal has a two-way option, but it converts to a one-way in Year 2.

    // Pinned

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 2:23pm

    Flyers lock down Tyson Foerster with eight-year extension

    Flyers right wing Tyson Foerster isn’t going anywhere for a long time.

    It’s been a rollercoaster start to his career, but Tyson Foerster’s feet are firmly planted in Philly.

    On Wednesday, the 24-year-old winger inked an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $7.1 million. According to league sources, it has limited trade protection in Years 3-8, but it does not feature a no-move clause. The contract will start after next season, when Foerster was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.

    “We’re excited to have Tyson be a key part of our long-term future,” general manager Danny Brière said in the team’s press release. “He has established himself as an important piece of the foundation we’re building here. Since coming up through our system, he’s continued to improve and develop every step of the way into a consistent offensive contributor while also being a trusted and reliable 200-foot player.

    “We have a great deal of confidence in him and believe he’ll play a significant role as we continue building toward a successful team for years to come.”

    The Flyers now have Foerster, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim, Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, Cam York, and Christian Dvorak inked to long-term deals. Goalie Dan Vladař signed a five-year extension that will begin after next season on Wednesday, and restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are expected to be locked down in the coming days.

    Flyers sign winger Tyson Foerster to massive eight-year extension

    — Jackie Spiegel

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 2:04pm

    Klimovich signing one-year, two-way deal

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:54pm

    Former Flyer Luke Schenn going back to Toronto

    Former Flyer Luke Schenn is on the move again, as the rugged defenseman is signing with the Vancouver Canucks.

    Schenn, 36, played in Philadelphia from 2012-16. The well-traveled defenseman, who has played for 10 NHL teams, will return to Vancouver for the second time.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:38pm

    Stuart Skinner heading to Winnipeg

    The Winnipeg Jets have signed former Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract.

    The move could spell the end for four-time Vezina Trophy winner and U.S. Olympic hero Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg. Rumors have been swirling that Hellebuyck wants out and that Buffalo and Carolina could be potential landing spots.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:32pm

    Flyers reportedly adding winger Danila Klimovich

    The Fourth Period reports the Flyers are signing winger Danila Klimovich.

    Klimovich, 23, is probably an organizational depth move, as he seems likely to begin the season the Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. The former second-round pick has spent the past five seasons in the Vancouver Canucks organization, playing with AHL affiliate, Abbotsford.

    The Belarusian forward had 18 goals and 34 points last season in the AHL, a year after he scored 25 times and helped Abbotsford win the Calder Cup. Klimovich’s time in Vancouver would have overlapped with Flyers coach Rick Tocchet and assistant Yogi Svejkovský.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:23pm

    Report: Flyers to sign center Noel Acciari

    Flyers center Trevor Zegras and Penguins center Noel Acciari tangle during a game in October.

    The Flyers look to have found their new fourth-line center, as Sportsnet reports they have agreed to a two-year contract with Noel Acciari that carries a $2.8 million cap hit.

    Acciari, 34, had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers, winning 61% of his faceoffs. Known for his face-off ability, nastiness, and penalty killing, Acciari will likely take the spot vacated by Luke Glendening.

    In 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has 81 goals and 144 points.

    He was a teammate of Owen Tippett’s in Florida and worked with Todd Reirden in Pittsburgh for one season

    He was a member of the Bruins’ 2019 Stanley Cup Final team, chipping in with four points in 19 games.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:08pm

    Noah Juulsen heads to Colorado

    Defenseman Noah Juulsen, who along with Emil Andrae spent most of last season swapping in and out on the third pair, is headed to Colorado. Jackie Spiegel previously reported that he wouldn’t return to the Flyers, but it appears he’s found a landing spot.

    — Matt Mullin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 1:02pm

    Two potential Flyers targets go off the board

    Fourth-line tough guy Jeffrey Viel looks to be heading to Tampa Bay, reports Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period.

    He was a name The Inquirer considered as a Garnet Hathaway replacement.

    — Gustav Elvin

    Ross Johnston, another depth forward, also inked a deal elsewhere Wednesday, signing a three-year contract with the Blues.

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 12:42pm

    Reports: Flyers in the mix for Hurricanes’ John Carlson

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 12:41pm

    Sam Ersson inks new deal

    Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson signed with Ottawa Wednesday.

    Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson, who was traded twice this offseason, can finally unpack his bags.

    Ersson has signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Ottawa Senators, according to Sportsnet. The 26-year-old is expected to back up fellow Swede Linus Ullmark in Ottawa. The Flyers traded Ersson last month alongside Emil Andrae to Toronto in a deal to acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit. The restricted free agent’s negotiating rights were then traded to Ottawa on June 26 for a fifth-round pick.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 12:38pm

    A look at what else is happening around the NHL

    The New Jersey Devils re-signed center Nico Hischier to a huge five-year deal.

    In addition to long-term deals for Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, contracts and extensions are rolling in across the league. Here’s a look at what has happened so far:

    • Former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas is reportedly signing a six-year contract with the Florida Panthers with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Gudas, whose rights were acquired from Anaheim this week, is the latest veteran Panther to receive one of those stretched out contracts.
    • The Panthers also have locked up middle-six winger Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year, $40 million extension ($5 million AAV).
    • Buffalo has reportedly signed newly-acquired smooth-skating defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9 million deal ($3 million AAV). The restricted free agent was someone we mentioned as a potential fit for the Flyers entering the summer.
    • Montreal locks up budding superstar Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $9.125 million.
    • New Jersey has locked in captain Nico Hischier to a massive five-year contract. The Swiss international, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 Nolan Patrick draft, is one of the league’s top defensive forwards and now will make $11.7 million-a-year beginning in the 2027-27 season.
    • Los Angeles has been busy as they have reportedly agreed to deals with veteran forwards Erik Haula (two-year, $3.6 million) and Mats Zuccarello (one-year, $1 million).

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 12:08pm

    Flyers, Dan Vladař agree to contract extension

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar parlayed his career best season into a longterm deal.

    Last July 1, the Flyers surprised many by signing Dan Vladař to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. Vladař then went out and surprised many with his play.

    One year later, Vladař is sticking around for the foreseeable future. According to a league source, he is signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract extension with an annual average value of $5.5 million. The contract comes with a no-trade clause for the first two years, followed by a no-movement clause for the remaining three years, with it dwindling from 15 teams to five. Vladař’s contract won’t kick in until the 2027-28 season and will take him through his age 34 season.

    The writing had been on the wall for some time that this was happening. Asked about the rumors of an extension, Vladař joked at his end-of-season availability that, while he would accept the phone call for the extension, “If you can ask the same question to Danny Brière, I’m going to be watching. So we’ll see what he says.”

    Two days later, the general manager was quick to respond, saying, “I heard his answer. Maybe we wait, and I’ll talk to you guys [off camera] about that.” The extension could not be signed until July 1.

    Source: Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladař to a five-year, $27.5 million extension

    — Jackie Spiegel

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 11:57am

    What to expect from Flyers on Day 1

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 11:53am

    A Claude Giroux reunion in Philly?

    Ottawa Senators right winger Claude Giroux (center), defenseman Thomas Chabot (right), and right wing Drake Batherson (left) celebrate a goal.

    With Mavrik Bourque off the board, could the Flyers pivot to a familiar face?

    Pierre LeBrun reports that the Flyers have interest in bringing back former captain Claude Giroux.

    Giroux, 38, has played the last four seasons for the hometown Ottawa Senators. The Flyers traded Giroux in March of 2022 for a package that included Owen Tippett and a first-round pick.

    Giroux, who ranks second in career games (1,000) and points (900) in Flyers history, is still an effective top-six player. Last season, he had 14 goals and 49 points, including 13 points on the power play. While he’s mostly played wing in Ottawa, he’s also still one of the league’s top face-off men (63% last season on almost 800 draws). He also has a strong personal connection to Philadelphia and general manager Danny Brière.

    Stay tuned …

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 10:55am

    Report: Mavrik Bourque heading to Nashville

    The Flyers were reportedly in the mix for Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque but ultimately lost out to the Nashville Predators. The Preds paid a modest price of second- and third-round picks for the 24-year-old Bourque, who had 20 goals last season. They also took on the final year of defenseman Ilya Lyubuskin’s deal in the trade, which was reportedly a deal-breaker for the Flyers. The Preds will now need to extend Bourque who is a restricted free agent.

    For a player of Bourque’s age and upside, one year of eating $3.25 million owed to Lyubushkin doesn’t seem like the end of the world. We’ll see where the Flyers go from here in search of a center.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 9:47am

    Mavrik Bourque trade rumors heating up

    Stars forward Mavrik Bourque could be on the move as Dallas looks to clear cap space.

    Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque has been viewed by many around the league as a prime offer-sheet target given Dallas is big-game hunting and has limited cap flexibility.

    The threat of that could also lead to a trade, something we suggested in our recent Flyers target list. It sounds like that could be the case, as the Fourth Period is reporting there is some traction on a Bourque trade.

    Bourque, who has played mostly wing in the NHL but is a natural center, is coming off a 20-goal season and is a restricted free agent. At 24, and with runway to grow, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Flyers get involved here.

    12 players the Flyers could target to upgrade their roster via trade, free agency, or an offer sheet

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 9:40am

    Are the Flyers in on Zach Werenski?

    Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski (right) is one of the big fish. Can Danny Brière reel him in?

    Amid a wild offseason marked by trade demands and the dawning of the player empowerment era in the NHL, Norris Trophy-winner Zach Werenski is viewed by many as the ultimate prize.

    You can count the Flyers among that group, as according to multiple reports, Danny Brière and Co. are serious about getting involved in the sweepstakes for Columbus’ wantaway defenseman. It’s hard to blame them, as Werenski has averaged 23 goals and 82 points over the past two seasons, ranking in the top three among defensemen in both categories.

    The big questions with Werenski are would he entertain a move to Philly and whether the Flyers could pull off a deal without including Porter Martone or Matvei Michkov? The first question seems to be the sticking point, as Werenski, who has a no-move clause, turned down a move to Dallas on Tuesday and seems to be zeroing in on a few specific Eastern Conference destinations, including Tampa Bay and Toronto.

    Werenski’s landing spot, even if it isn’t Philadelphia, could have a major impact on the Flyers. The gold medalist ending up in Tampa Bay would eliminate another landing spot for top free-agent defenseman John Carlson and potential increase the Flyers’ chances there. Carolina currently has Carlson’s negotiating rights, but after 12 p.m., the 36-year-old power-play quarterback is free to negotiate with other teams.

    — Gustav Elvin

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 8:43am

    Longterm Dan Vladař extension expected once free agency opens

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar had a career year last season.

    All signs are pointing to Dan Vladař signing a five-year extension with an AAV of $5.5 million once deals can officially be announced at noon.

    The Czech goalie, who signed a two-year, $6.7 million deal with the Flyers last summer, is coming off a season where he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It was the lowest GAA of his career and tied his career-best save percentage, although he played in 22 more games than in any prior season.

    He was even better in the postseason with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts after not posting one in the regular season.

    — Jackie Spiegel

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 8:36am

    These are the Flyers’ top options via free agency or trade

    Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque could be an offer sheet option for Philly.

    John Carlson, on a big-money, short-term deal, would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to help with the power play. But do the Flyers make sense for him? He’ll turn 37 during the season, and time is ticking on his chances of winning another Stanley Cup.

    Rumors are percolating that the Flyers could add Noel Acciari to the roster. A 5-foot-11 center who just played against the Flyers in the playoffs with the Penguins — he had one assist in the six games — the Rhode Island native would slot onto the fourth line and be a key piece in the faceoff dot as a coveted right-shot, as well as on the penalty kill. Fellow bottom-six center Teddy Blueger is also another name to keep an eye on, as he played for coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.

    What about offer sheets/trade targets?

    As previously mentioned, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse have a mutual interest in one another, with the Flyers, alongside Pittsburgh and Boston, on his short list of teams. He previously requested a trade and would need to waive his no-movement clause to approve any trade destination.

    The Flyers are obviously interested in Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets and All-Star center Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Like Nurse, they would need to approve any trade. And they surely wouldn’t mind adding one of Shane Pinto or Dylan Cozens, two young centers from the Ottawa Senators, to the mix if either was made available via trade.

    Now, who doesn’t love an offer sheet? Would the Flyers be willing to partake in the one thing that gets everyone going? To be determined, but if they do, center Mavrik Bourque, 24, might be an attainable target given Dallas’ cap crunch.

    12 players the Flyers could target to upgrade their roster via trade, free agency, or an offer sheet

    — Jackie Spiegel

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 8:28am

    How much salary cap space do the Flyers have?

    Philadelphia Flyers general manager Danny Briere should have some money to spend, even after he re-signs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.

    According to Puckpedia, as of Wednesday, the Flyers have just over $32.68 million of cap space before signing their four restricted free agents. The expectation is that Hunter McDonald will be in the minors to start the year, and Nikita Grebenkin, who was skating on Tuesday at development camp, is working his way back from an injury.

    Not counting Grebenkin’s deal, the expected cap space to sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale should come in at an approximate annual average value of $15 million combined. That leaves about $17 million, and then subtract $3-4 million to cover Grebenkin and McDonald. So there is some room left to add pieces to the lineup.

    — Jackie Spiegel

    Flyers free agents include Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale

    Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are both restricted free agents, and the Flyers have extended qualifying offers to both.

    According to a league source on Tuesday, the Flyers have agreed to sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Carl Grundström to a one-year, $1 million contract. It comes one day after they handed out qualifying offers to four players and released six more to unrestricted free-agent status.

    Here is a breakdown of who the Flyers need to and could re-sign from the system.

    • NHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Rodrigo Ābols and Luke Glendening; defenseman Noah Juulsen
    • NHL restricted free agents: forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Trevor Zegras; defenseman Jamie Drysdale
    • AHL restricted free agents: defenseman Hunter McDonald
    • AHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Karsen Dorwart, Oscar Eklind, Brett Harrison, Boris Katchouk, Lane Pederson, Anthony Richard, Tucker Robertson, and Philip Tomasino; defensemen Adam Ginning, Maxence Guenette, Artem Guryev, and Christian Kyrou

    Dorwart, Harrison, Robertson, Tomasino, Guryev, and Kyrou were not given qualifying offers on Monday. They could all be signed to a new deal or an AHL-only deal to stay with the club. Garrett Wilson is listed as an unrestricted free agent on Puckpedia, but he is signed to an AHL contract for next season.

    A league source has told The Inquirer that Juulsen will not be re-signed.

    — Jackie Spiegel

    // Timestamp 07/01/26 8:22am

  • Flyers free agency primer: Cap space, top targets, biggest needs, and more

    Flyers free agency primer: Cap space, top targets, biggest needs, and more

    Free agency.

    That special time of year when general managers can fulfill their wish lists or end up with coal.

    Here’s everything you need to know before the frenzy begins.

    What time does free agency start?

    Beginning at noon on Wednesday, the Flyers can sign players from other teams to contracts. Of course, they could also lose members of the squad that led them to their first postseason spot since 2020.

    Although terms shouldn’t have been discussed prior, miraculously, teams always announce new contracts at the stroke of noon.

    It is also the kick-off point for offer sheets if anyone wants to be an agent of chaos.

    Who are the Flyers’ free agents?

    According to a league source on Tuesday, the Flyers have agreed to sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Carl Grundström to a one-year, $1 million contract. It comes one day after they handed out qualifying offers to four players and released six more to unrestricted free-agent status.

    Flyers qualify Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, let six other RFAs walk

    Here is a breakdown of who the Flyers need to and could re-sign from the system.

    NHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Rodrigo Ābols and Luke Glendening; defenseman Noah Juulsen

    NHL restricted free agents: forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Trevor Zegras; defenseman Jamie Drysdale

    AHL restricted free agents: defenseman Hunter McDonald

    AHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Karsen Dorwart, Oscar Eklind, Brett Harrison, Boris Katchouk, Lane Pederson, Anthony Richard, Tucker Robertson, and Philip Tomasino; defensemen Adam Ginning, Maxence Guenette, Artem Guryev, and Christian Kyrou

    Dorwart, Harrison, Robertson, Tomasino, Guryev, and Kyrou were not given qualifying offers on Monday. They could all be signed to a new deal or an AHL-only deal to stay with the club. Garrett Wilson is listed as an unrestricted free agent on Puckpedia, but he is signed to an AHL contract for next season.

    A league source has told The Inquirer that Juulsen will not be re-signed.

    How much cap space do the Flyers have?

    According to Puckpedia, as of Tuesday, the Flyers have $32,681,250 of cap space before signing the four restricted free agents. The expectation is that McDonald will be in the minors to start the year, and Grebenkin, who was skating on Tuesday at development camp, is working his way back from an injury.

    Center Trevor Zegras and defenseman Jamie Drysdale are the Flyers’ most important restricted free agents that they need to sign.

    Not counting Grebenkin’s deal, the expected cap space to sign Zegras and Drysdale should come in at an approximate annual average value of $15 million combined. That leaves about $17 million, and then minus $3 million to $4 million to cover Grebenkin and McDonald, there is some room left to add pieces to the lineup.

    What are the Flyers’ biggest needs?

    The Flyers have a few spots in the lineup that could use a boost.

    The fourth line struggled at times this past season and went through a few retoolings. It needs at least a right winger, now that Garnet Hathaway has been traded to the Florida Panthers, and there is talk that Glendening could return, but nothing has been confirmed.

    12 players the Flyers could target to upgrade their roster via trade, free agency, or an offer sheet

    Although the wings are pretty much set, the center spot could always use an upgrade as the Flyers continue to search for a top-line pivot. And while the defense looks OK, there is always room for improvement, especially if the Flyers can find a defenseman to help the team’s dormant power play.

    Who are the top free agents?

    John Carlson, on a big-money, short-term deal, would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to help with the power play. But do the Flyers make sense for him? He’ll turn 37 during the season, and time is ticking on his window to win another Stanley Cup.

    Rumors are percolating that the Flyers could add Noel Acciari to the roster. A 5-foot-11 center who just played against the Flyers in the playoffs with the Penguins — he had one assist in the six games — the Rhode Island native would slot onto the fourth line and be a key piece in the faceoff dot as a coveted right-shot, as well as on the penalty kill. Fellow bottom-six center Teddy Blueger is another name to keep an eye on, as he played for coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.

    What about offer sheets/trade targets?

    As previously mentioned, the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse have a mutual interest, with the Flyers, Pittsburgh, and Boston on his short list of teams. He previously requested a trade and would need to waive his no-movement clause to approve any trade destination.

    The Flyers are obviously interested in Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Zach Werenski from the Columbus Blue Jackets and All-Star center Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings. Like Nurse, they would need to approve any trade. And they surely wouldn’t mind adding one of Shane Pinto or Dylan Cozens, two young centers from the Ottawa Senators, to the mix if either was made available via trade.

    Could the Flyers target Dallas’ Mavrik Bourque in an offer sheet or trade as a potential center solution?

    Now, who doesn’t love an offer sheet? Would the Flyers be willing to partake in the one thing that gets everyone going? To be determined, but if they do, center Mavrik Bourque, 24, might be an attainable target given Dallas’ cap crunch.

    What about Dan Vladař?

    All signs are pointing to Dan Vladař signing a five-year extension with an average annual value of $5.5 million.

    The Czech goalie is coming off a season where he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It was the lowest GAA of his career and tied his career-best save percentage, although he played in 22 more games than in any previous season.

    Dan Vladař has been the Flyers’ MVP all season long. He’s also far from your typical goalie.

    He was even better in the postseason with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts after not posting one in the regular season.

  • Flyers qualify Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, let six other RFAs walk

    Flyers qualify Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, let six other RFAs walk

    The Flyers were required to submit qualifying offers to their restricted free agents by 5 p.m. on Monday.

    After the deadline, they announced that they did not provide qualifying offers to forwards Philip Tomasino, Brett Harrison, Tucker Robertson, and Karsen Dorwart, and defensemen Artem Guryev and Christian Kyrou. They will now be unrestricted free agents on July 1.

    They gave qualifying offers to forwards Trevor Zegras and Nikita Grebenkin, as well as defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Hunter McDonald. Drysdale, Zegras, and McDonald are eligible for arbitration.

    According to Puckpedia, Zegras’ qualifying offer is $5.75 million. It is the same amount as his expiring three-year contract signed in 2023 with the Anaheim Ducks. Drysdale is due $2.3 million, the same as the three-year deal he inked with Anaheim in 2023. Grebenkin’s is $850,000, and McDonald’s is $897,750.

    In his first season in Philly, Zegras had 26 goals and 67 points — both were career highs — in 81 regular-season games before adding another six points in 10 playoff games. It was his first playoff experience, as it was for Drysdale, who stepped up his game this past season and had a career high in goals (eight) and tied his career high in points (32). He added two goals and four points in 10 playoff games, scoring the first Flyers playoff goal since 2020.

    Grebenkin has not played since late March due to an upper-body injury. “Initially, we thought it was going to be something short, and it just never got better,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said at his end-of-season press conference. “Now we’re looking at different options for him. So he’s the only one that I would say maybe [he’s not ready for training camp], if it doesn’t improve.” Brière did not have an update when speaking to The Inquirer at the start of June at the NHL scouting combine.

    McDonald made his NHL debut this season, skating in the season finale, and registered the secondary assist on Oliver Bonk’s first NHL goal. A rugged blueliner, he had six assists in 65 games for the Phantoms.

    “Hunter took a big step last year in his development, and that’s why he played that game late in the season,” Brière told The Inquirer in early June. “I think our coaching staff was really impressed [with] how he took a step forward this year. He put in the work and really elevated his game, earned that NHL game at the end, and he was around the team when we played in the playoffs as well.

    “Really exciting to see him have growth to his development. It’s a big summer for him, but we’re excited about him. A big, physical defenseman like that is not easy to find, and we hope he’s going to be one of those guys, eventually. But he’s going to have to beat someone at some point to earn those minutes.”

    Tomasino was acquired this past season in a swap that sent Egor Zamula to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He potted 12 goals and 41 points in 52 regular-season games between the two teams’ AHL affiliates. A first-round selection of Nashville in 2019, he has 218 NHL games under his belt.

    Traded to the Flyers with Jackson Edward for Alexis Gendron and Massimo Rizzo in March, Harrison had two goals and four points in 12 games with Lehigh Valley. Guryev was part of the deal that sent Ryan Ellis’ contract to the San Jose Sharks, and Christian Kyrou was acquired in a one-for-one, with Samu Tuomaala going to the Dallas Stars.

    Dorwart was signed out of Michigan State as a college free agent in March 2025. He skated in five games after inking his entry-level contract, making his NHL debut in Montreal. Last season, he had 10 goals and 24 points in 70 games for the Phantoms.

  • GM Danny Brière on not trading Rasmus Ristolainen, adding David Jiříček, and the Flyers’ center void

    GM Danny Brière on not trading Rasmus Ristolainen, adding David Jiříček, and the Flyers’ center void

    Flyers management has long said that the players would dictate how the organization approached the NHL trade deadline and whether the Flyers would be sellers or buyers.

    Well, when the clock struck 3 p.m. on yet another deadline for president Keith Jones and general manager Danny Brière, the Flyers were a seller of sorts as Bobby Brink was traded home to Minnesota, and Nic Deslauriers was moved to chase a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes.

    Moving Brink from a top-nine spot was necessary to create space on the wing, as the players in the system, notably Porter Martone and Alex Bump — Brière said he “wouldn’t be surprised” if the latter gets called up before the end of the season, although reading the tea leaves, it could come sooner than later — are close to being NHL-ready.

    Acquiring David Jiříček is the latest example of the Flyers’ unorthodox approach to rebuilding. It’s worth the risk.

    But while they added David Jiříček as the return for Brink, and have Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, and Carter Amico in the system — all big, right-shot defensemen — Brière did not move his most exploitable trade piece, veteran right-shot defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen.

    “You guys [the media] made a big story. I didn’t know I was trying to sell him,” Brière said on Friday after the deadline. “You guys made it sound like we were dumping Risto for next to nothing.

    “Look, at the end of the day, Risto has a lot of value to our team. I wasn’t trying to dump Risto. I wasn’t trying to get rid of him. I think the media turned it into a little bit of a circus, to be honest. And that’s OK. I get it. It’s part of my job to deal with that. But the reality is, Risto is an important part of our defense.”

    Unlike the winger position, Brière doesn’t think his defensemen-in-waiting are ready to slot into the top four and play the big minutes that Ristolainen has played; he played more than more than 27 minutes on Monday and 22 more on Thursday. “We need to protect them a little bit,” Brière said.

    Sources have told The Inquirer that the Flyers wanted a first-round pick for Ristolainen, the physical defenseman who just had an impressive run for the bronze-medal-winning Finnish squad at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics and has been a standout since.

    But while several teams did check in on the 6-foot-4 blueliner with term (he has one more year on his contract), no one matched the Flyers’ ask. And Brière would not confirm if a first-round pick was ever on the table, stating, “All I can tell you is, the value wasn’t as high as we needed for us to move forward.”

    “I did get a lot of calls, and we took them seriously,” he added. “We went through all the teams that were serious, but at the end of the day, it just did not make sense value-wise. … We listened, but it made more sense to have Risto with us.”

    Here are three other questions the general manager addressed.

    Why did the Flyers want Jiříček?

    The Flyers were in the mix to get the 6-4, 204-pound defenseman when the Columbus Blue Jackets were shopping him a year and a half ago. And Brière was a bit shocked he was available now, but Minnesota recently added Quinn Hughes, which changed the Czech native’s outlook in the State of Hockey.

    Although he hasn’t had the track many expected when the 22-year-old was drafted one slot after Cutter Gauthier in 2022, the Flyers see high potential in Jiříček. Patience was asked by Brière, and while he is a different style of player from Jamie Drysdale, the GM sees similarities when it comes to their development arc.

    “They both came in at 18 years old, probably a little too early to turn pro yet,” he said. “They go through some ups and downs, probably lose their confidence along the way. So he’s going to need some love. He’s going to need some reps. Especially, he needs time. He needs to play a lot of minutes and build his confidence.”

    Jiříček will head to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League to start. The GM said he didn’t make any promises but said that at some point, if they have a chance, they’d like to give him a look with the big club. Jiříček has played 84 NHL games across four seasons with Columbus and Minnesota.

    Why did the Flyers not trade for a center?

    Another season and trade deadline came and went, and the Flyers are still without a No. 1 center. Sure, these types of players do not grow on trees, and yes, several who were expected to be available as free agents this summer have since signed extensions.

    But if the Flyers want to take the next step, they need to upgrade down the middle.

    “A few of the high-end centers that were in the trade market, or their name, we checked on that,” Brière said. “We had some discussions right now. It’s been tabled to closer to the draft [and then] we’ll look back into that. But we looked into it.

    “We are aware; we know that it’s an area we’d like to improve. It’s all about timing, value, and when is the best time that you can get the best value for it. But, yeah, we’re aware. We’ve never hid from the fact that we’d like to improve that position.”

    Flyers flip tough guy Nic Deslauriers to Carolina for a conditional draft pick

    So the door isn’t shut, and there is some expectation that the Flyers could be busy around the draft. As Brière reiterated on Friday, it took almost two years to acquire Trevor Zegras.

    Speaking of Zegras, he came to Philly excited for the opportunity to play center again, but has primarily played on the wing. The door isn’t closed on him pivoting, but it’s not as wide-open as before.

    “He’s been at his best when he played the wing this year — that’s just the reality. I wish I could say the opposite,” Brière said. “I wish I could say he’s much better when he plays center, but the reality is, he’s been at his best when he plays with [Travis Konecny] and [Christian] Dvorak. So, that line has been our best line for a while now, so that’s why … when I mentioned the wingers, that [I] put his name on there, because he’s been mostly on the wing.”

    What does the future now hold for the Flyers?

    With the Flyers selling, the writing is all but permanently inked on the wall that they will miss the postseason for the sixth straight season. They entered Friday six points back of the Boston Bruins for the last wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and eight points back of the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for second and third in the Metropolitan Division.

    “I think what’s unfortunate about the trade deadline is the moment you start trading players away, is the realization that, unfortunately, you’ve missed your goal in a sense,” forward Garnet Hathaway told The Inquirer on Friday. “In no way am I saying that we’re not in a position to get in, but it changes things. But we were in a spot that we put ourselves in, and I think that’s what’s frustrating, and it kind of adds on to the fact that you’re sending friends, teammates to a different organization.”

    The Flyers decided to keep defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen at the trade deadline.

    So what happens now?

    In the short term, the general manager wants to see his team continue to play the right way, stay competitive, and play hard. Long-term, the Flyers are still a work in progress, and “the plan never changed as far as looking for the future.”

    Brière thinks the difference now is that the Flyers can change that.

    “Three years ago, we almost had nothing to work with as far as good young players coming,” Brière said. “So it wasn’t enticing for other teams to trade guys to us, but more and more, the way our young guys are coming along and a lot of centers, those are always a lot of value.

    “We have more and more assets that are going to hopefully give us the chance to get in on a player. Or sometimes one of those players [in the organization already] is going to come and take it, kind of like [Denver] Barkey did this year.”

    News and notes

    Barkey and defenseman Adam Ginning were sent down to the Phantoms before 3 p.m. to make them eligible to compete in the Calder Cup playoffs. According to the AHL transactions page, Barkey has already been recalled. The new collective bargaining agreement says players must play one AHL game before being recalled but there is an exception on deadline day.

    Brière said they weren’t trying to trade Deslauriers, “but if you want to have the chance to go chase a Cup, we would give you that opportunity.” Deslauriers was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2027.

    Veteran forward Luke Glendening, 36, was picked up on waivers from the New Jersey Devils to stabilize the fourth line and win face-offs. He has a 55.6% career winning percentage in the circle.

    Tyson Foerster is on track with his rehab after surgery to repair an upper-body injury (Brière would not disclose what the injury was). The winger has started skating and shooting pucks, and the GM said, “I know he’s going to start knocking on my door soon to get back in the lineup.” But he is not expected to play again this season unless the Flyers make the postseason.

    Defenseman Nick Seeler is day to day with a lower-body injury and is not expected to play on Saturday against the Penguins (5:30 p.m., NBCSP).

  • What to expect at the trade deadline, how the Flyers can get a No. 1 center, and more from our Reddit AMA

    What to expect at the trade deadline, how the Flyers can get a No. 1 center, and more from our Reddit AMA

    With just over 48 hours remaining until the 2026 NHL trade deadline, Inquirer Flyers reporter Jackie Spiegel hopped on r/Flyers to field some fan questions in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) Wednesday afternoon. Here are a few highlights …

    (Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.)

    Q. There’s been a lot of talk about selling at the deadline, with guys like Owen Tippett and Rasmus Ristolainen as top candidates. Is there anyone else who might be on the block and could be a ‘surprise’ player dealt at the deadline?

    A. It’s a good chance that Ristolainen is gone with how he’s been playing, his friendly contract, the farm system, and that he’s a right-shot defenseman. Tippett is less of a sure bet as he brings elements — size, speed, goal-scoring ability — that any team, including the Flyers, would want. However, Tippett does have a modified no-trade clause that begins on July 1, so if they’re going to do it, time is ticking.

    The Flyers do have a logjam on the wings, and one surprise, at least for this week, could be Bobby Brink, who has long been rumored to be on the way out because of who is waiting in the wings. There’s always a chance Danny Brière could do right by some veterans like Noah Juulsen and Nic Deslauriers, each on expiring contracts, and trade them to a contender looking for depth.

    Owen Tippett is a potential trade candidate for the Flyers
    Q. At what point do we finally trade away some of our right wings to fix the log jam we have? And why is it taking so long?

    A. The expectation was always that this process would begin over the summer, but it could come sooner. Names like Brink and Tippett have popped up in recent trade-deadline chatter. The only crux of trading Brink now is his size, as playoff teams are always looking to get bigger this time of year, but he is a pending restricted free agent. … But there is no denying that the Flyers need to make room for right winger Porter Martone.

    As to why it has taken this long — you can’t trade someone if you don’t have someone ready to take the spot. Some of the wait was the hope of reeling in a big fish during this summer’s free agency — that is gone — but more recently, the wait has been on Martone, with all signs pointing to him inking his entry-level contract once Michigan State’s season is over.

    The Flyers should be firm sellers at the NHL trade deadline despite their recent winning streak
    Q. Where do you see us getting an actual top-line center option from and what would it realistically take?

    A. This is a great question. I think part of the issue for the Flyers is that they were banking on this upcoming offseason to get that No. 1 center and all those guys inked extensions. Could Trevor Zegras be that guy? Maybe. Could they swing for a Robert Thomas? Maybe, but from what I’ve been told, that deal would require sending at least one of the Flyers’ young centers in the system the other way. I’m starting to wonder if a true No. 1 center is needed, because if you have enough talented high-end wingers — like Tyson Foerster, Martone, Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov, Tippett — maybe a less elite center works too?

    Sean Couturier has been the Flyers captain for a little over two years.
    Q. What do the Flyers plan to do about Sean Couturier? Having the captain of the team be the guy farthest from living up to his contract and visibly frustrated seems like a less-than-ideal leadership situation. Not to mention he’s signed for four more seasons after this one and his contract is buyout proof.

    A. From what I can tell, there are zero plans for Couturier. From the outside, yes, his production is down, but a lot of that, in my opinion, has to do with his focus on defense as he lets his younger, more skilled wingers take charge offensively. And heading into the return from the Olympic break, his analytics were actually some of the best on the team. There’s also the leadership in the room that fans do not see. As assistant coach Todd Reirden mentioned, while he was taking over media responsibilities with Rick Tocchet at the Olympics, Couturier’s “voice carries a lot of weight. He’s not [a captain] that’s rah rah, but when he does talk, no one’s not listening. I can tell you that much. So he’s the leader of our team for a reason.”

    What will the Flyers do ahead of the trade deadline? Here’s where Scott Laughton, Rasmus Ristolainen, and others stand.
    Q. If you had to look for a funny quote for a story after a win who would be your best bet on the team this year?

    A. This is a great question. Funny is good, but what we call money bites (at least that was the term when I worked in TV) are always better. Dan Vladař is always good for that and usually has a funny quote or two. Zegras is always on with a quick, funny response. And Garnet Hathaway is always insightful, but brings a good quote too.

  • Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett’s fashion sense has put the NHL and fans on notice. The Flyers also might need him to fill a Travis Konency-sized void.

    Owen Tippett isn’t on Twitter these days. He has dropped some social media platforms that he didn’t feel were necessary or healthy for his mental space.

    But he had heard through the grapevine about the artwork; he just hadn’t seen it yet.

    “That’s unreal,” he said, almost in shock when shown the drawing of himself from the weekend. “Unreal,” he said, covering his agape mouth with his hand, still in shock. “Wow. That’s sick.”

    On Saturday, the Flyers’ social media accounts had a picture of Tippett in his game-day fit, sporting a Kith sweater, baggy black jeans, and sunglasses. Local sports artist Dhwani Saraiya, who designed the Flyers’ opening night T-shirt, tweeted, “fit was so fire I had to draw it.” And the Edison, N.J., native did.

    Tippett, who has popped up in Annie O’Donnell’s rapid-fire NHL fit reviews on Instagram for his style, followed that up with a Canadian tuxedo, fittingly in Toronto, on Monday. The two-piece set, also from Kith, was ordered just a few days earlier and arrived on his doorstep on Saturday before making the round on social media, notably on the NHL’s platforms.

    (Editor’s note: The Canadian tuxedo ended up in O’Donnell’s latest fit review that dropped right after this story was published, stating: “This is the coolest Canadian tuxedo I have ever seen in my life.”)

    This is the first year the players are not required to wear suits or business attire.

    “I think when we found out we weren’t going to have a dress code, I think my wife had a little bit more fun with it than I did,” Ontario native Tippett said of his wife, Taylor. “Kind of got me out of my comfort zone a little bit, which is fine, from what I’m used to wearing, but yeah, I’ve had fun with it.”

    The Flyers have been heating up since the Olympics. These are the numbers behind their latest win in Toronto.

    Now, this isn’t a fashion story, but it’s about the old-fashioned mantra: “If you look good, you feel good.”

    It’s about goalie Dan Vladař noting that the Flyers had swagger in the room on Saturday.

    It’s about the Flyers feeling good on the ice, having won three straight for the first time since around Thanksgiving, and back in the playoff picture.

    And it’s about the forwards, notably Tippett, who was promoted to the top line on Monday, needing to step up with Travis Konecny’s status up in the air. Konecny, who leads the team in goals (23), assists (34), and points (57), missed his second game of the season on Monday with an upper-body injury.

    “Yeah, he’s a huge part of our team, both on the ice and in the locker room,” Tippett said. “Obviously, it’s a big, big role to fill. But I think I’ve said it a couple of times this year with [Tyson Foerster] going down and [Rodrigo Ābols] going down, and there’s been a few guys in here who have kind of missed games or missed some time.

    “We all have to step up collectively.”

    Coach Rick Tocchet said on Tuesday that he is hopeful Konecny can play Thursday when the Utah Mammoth visit Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., NBCSP). But if not, his absence will test the team’s depth. The expectation is that Tippett will remain on the top line with Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, in the Flyers’ 3-2 shootout win against the Maple Leafs, when the trio was on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers had 10 shot attempts, five shots on goal, two scoring chances, and 57.15% of the expected goal share.

    Owen Tippett has discussed the need to complement Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46).

    “Obviously, it’s different with everyone you play with,” Tippett said of his game style. “I think the biggest thing [Monday] night was, obviously, making the simple plays and not trying to overcomplicate things. I know they play an offensive line, and when Trevor has the puck, he can create a lot, so it’s more just kind of give him space, but also support him at the same time.”

    Tippett, Dvorak, and Zegras also played together at the beginning of the season, beginning in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and Tippett has spent the second-most time with Zegras and Dvorak this season, trailing only Konecny.

    Among the Flyers’ seven line combinations that have played at least 100 minutes together, Money Puck has the line ranked No. 2 in minutes (196.5), expected goals for (8.8), and expected goals against (8.7). Although shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, and high-danger chances are almost even with what they give up — but above 50% — according to Natural Stat Trick, when they are on the ice at five-on-five, the Flyers have outscored the opposition 13-8. That’s the number that counts.

    “Played with them a little bit at the start of the year,” Tippett said, “but it’s been a decent stretch since I’ve played with them. So, a little bit of chemistry was already there, but just trying to keep things simple and communicate as much as we can on the bench and on the ice.”

    Tippett is sitting on 19 goals for the season, one shy of reaching the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight year.

    “Yeah, I did,” Tocchet said when asked if he liked Tippett with that pair. “He had some speed. I thought there were some moments there [that if he had] one inch or two inches, he would have been gone. So he had a game where I thought he could add to that line.”

    Breakaways

    Defenseman Nick Seeler did not participate in practice on Tuesday after leaving Monday’s game late in the second period with a lower-body injury. Seen limping after the game, Tocchet said he is also a game-time decision. … Dvorak and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen also did not skate, but Tocchet said they had maintenance days. Ristolainen’s name has been prominent in trade chatter, but there is currently nothing imminent, The Inquirer has learned. Offers should start picking up soon with the trade deadline on Friday at 3 p.m.

    Rasmus Ristolainen is again the subject of trade rumors. But this year could be different.
  • Flyers win third straight with first shootout victory since November in 3-2 win over Maple Leafs

    Flyers win third straight with first shootout victory since November in 3-2 win over Maple Leafs

    TORONTO ― It can be a good life if you don’t weaken, and right now the Flyers are staying strong.

    Facing a Toronto Maple Leafs team in a tailspin, the Flyers bent but did not break and skated away with a 3-2 shootout victory. On this night in Toronto, the Flyers won their third straight game for the first time since the end of November, putting them four points back of the idle Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

    In the shootout, Matvei Michkov scored on a nifty deke, and Trevor Zegras sent the puck in glove-side. Flyers goalie Dan Vladař stopped Auston Matthews and Max Domi to seal the win. It was the Flyers’ first shootout victory since Nov. 28, amid that three-game winning streak.

    Travis Konecny misses Maple Leafs game with upper-body injury, listed as day-to-day

    Skating without top scorer Travis Konecny, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the Flyers were looking for a place to happen, and it came off Noah Cates’ stick.

    Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen put a shot on goal that former Flyers goalie and New Jersey native Anthony Stolarz could not control. Michkov tried to send the loose puck in, but his shot went wide, and Bobby Brink tracked the puck down in the corner, protecting it from Toronto defenders. He fed Cates, who sent a wicked wrister into the twine and pointed right at Brink.

    Cates’ 12th goal of the season, which extended his point streak to four games, briefly gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead in the third period. William Nylander scored a power-play goal less than three minutes later to tie the game after Denver Barkey was called for tripping. The Swede scored on a one-timer off a circle-to-circle pass from John Tavares to tie the game up.

    In overtime, the Maple Leafs controlled play for the most part — although Jamie Drysdale had a nice scoring chance — but the Flyers’ defense stood tall. Notably, Cam York broke up a pass intended for an open Matthews, who would have had a Grade A chance.

    Toronto’s Dakota Joshua put the Flyers in a 1-0 hole with 4 minutes, 38 seconds left in the first period.

    The forward chipped a pass from Oliver Ekman-Larsson that went deep into the Flyers’ end. Defenseman Nick Seeler tracked it down in the left corner and tried to play it up the boards, but Leafs forward Matias Maccelli intercepted it and fed Joshua in the left circle.

    Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (left) stops a shot from Toronto Maple Leafs’ John Tavares (right) during first period of Monday’s game.

    He shot it off the pass, sending it between the legs of Sean Couturier and over Vladař’s shoulder.

    The Flyers tied it on a power-play goal with under two minutes to go in the first after two futile opportunities, with one cut short due to too many men on the ice.

    With Konecny out, the units looked different. One had Michkov, Zegras, Brink, Drysdale, and Owen Tippett. The other saw York, Travis Sanheim, Christian Dvorak, Cates, and Barkey line up together. The latter group scored.

    The Flyers made changes to their defensive structure that Rick Tocchet thinks will ‘help in the long run’

    Cates got the puck in the bumper from Barkey — who hails from nearby Newmarket, Ontario, and had a large contingent in the crowd — and as he shot it, Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz went stick-on-stick, causing the puck to bounce to the net. The puck went off Dvorak, and he jammed it in as Stolarz was trying to squeeze the pads.

    The goal was his 13th of the season and second on the power play. It was the Flyers’ second goal in the last 13 opportunities.

    Like Saturday against the Boston Bruins, the second period saw the Flyers get outshot, with the Leafs getting 11 shots to the Flyers’ four. But like Saturday, when the Bruins put 16 on Vladař and the Flyers had three, the goalie stopped them all.

    The Flyers got pinned a few times, but, according to Natural Stat Trick, allowed just one high-danger chance at five-on-five during the middle frame as the Maple Leafs had 68.57% of the shot attempts. In the third period, the Flyers had 61.11% of the attempts.

    Flyers’ Christian Dvorak (center) celebrates his 13th goal of the season on Monday.

    Breakaways

    The Flyers lead the league with 16 wins when trailing 1-0 and have 16 comeback wins. … Seeler left the game late in the second period due to a lower-body injury. … The Flyers outshot the Maple Leafs 14-7 in the first period. … Forwards Nic Deslauriers and Brink each hit a milestone with Deslauriers skating in his 700th NHL game and Brink in his 200th. … The Buffalo Sabres had four scouts in attendance, including associate general manager Marc Bergevin, with rumors swirling that they are high on getting Ristolainen back in the fold.

    Up next

    The Flyers play their last game before Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline when the Utah Mammoth visit Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

  • Trevor Zegras is finally getting a chance to prove he’s a center ― and his new roommate is along for the ride

    Trevor Zegras is finally getting a chance to prove he’s a center ― and his new roommate is along for the ride

    Trevor Zegras went over to Denver Barkey after a morning skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena a few weeks ago and asked the rookie if he wanted to live with him.

    Since being called up on Dec. 19, and making his Flyers debut the next day at Madison Square Garden, the 20-year-old has been living out of a suitcase in a hotel.

    “Couldn’t really turn that possibility down? And I was quick to say yes. And then we started to plan on when I move in,” Barkey said.

    “I’ve been chipping in,” he continued when asked if he was doing the dishes. “We’ve got to clean now. It’s getting a little messy, trying to do my chores here and there.”

    The two are hoping they can clean up on the ice now, too.

    Zegras and Barkey will be on a line with Owen Tippett against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday (7 p.m., NBCSP).

    Sean Couturier hopes ‘getting back to the basics’ will help him snap his 27-game goal drought

    According to Natural Stat Trick, at five-on-five, the trio has played just 3 minutes, 25 seconds together. That came during the Flyers’ 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 17. The line had nine shot attempts to the Rangers’ three, including five shots on goal. The trio generated five high-danger chances, held an eight-to-one advantage in scoring chances, and outscored New York, 1-0.

    Zegras had the goal, with Barkey and Tippett getting the assists. Tippett went to put the puck on goal but it deflected off the stick of Barkey and then the boot of Urho Vaakanainen to Zegras sitting wide open atop the crease at the right post.

    “Yeah, pretty fortunate to be on the line with someone like him,” Barkey said of Zegras, calling it an exciting opportunity. “I think just tonight, play my game, try to find open space for him to find me, because I know he makes those crazy plays. He sees the ice at an insane level. So just trying to get open and create time and space for him to have the puck.”

    Dating back to when Zegras was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in June, and entering training camp, the consensus from the player and the front office was that Zegras would get a chance back at his natural position of center. That hasn’t been the case, but Tuesday will mark the third straight game Zegras will play down the middle. He had moments when he played there this season, but they were few and far between; Flyers coach Rick Tocchet is sticking with it for now.

    Trevor Zegras, whom Rick Tocchet called a joy to coach, will play his third straight game at center on Wednesday.

    “For the first 30 games, he was going so good I didn’t want to make that [change]. I think he would have looked at me like I was crazy. I mean, he was filling the net and he was doing really well,” Tocchet said when asked why he decided now was the time to experiment with Zegras down the middle.

    “I thought we were good and we had it locked down [with] the centers, and I thought the lines were good. So then, out of necessity a little bit now, yeah. See if he can hold that position now for us.”

    Tocchet and Zegras talk often — the coach was late to Monday’s availability with reporters after practice because the two were chatting — and they talked the other day about his faceoffs. After going 1-for-12 at five-on-five against the Boston Bruins, and losing the one faceoff he took in the defensive zone, he went 4-for-6 at five-on-five against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

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    “I think he’s been doing OK,” Tocchet said before adding about Zegras’ faceoff percentage rising: “That’s a positive; that was one thing that he was worried about the draws — and some coverages down low.

    “But I didn’t see a guy confused out there. I think there’s some runway there, let’s see if he can hold on to this position. He’s got a couple of good linemates today, so maybe he’ll get some offense for us.”

    Breakaways

    Dan Vladař (16-8-5, .903 save percentage) will start in net. He is 3-2-0 with a 3.59 goals-against average and an .871 save percentage in five career games against the Capitals. His last start against Washington was Feb. 25, 2025, in which Alex Ovechkin scored goal No. 883 in a 3-1 win for the Calgary Flames. Ovechkin, who has 919 career goals entering Tuesday, has scored 52 times in 78 games against the Flyers, his second-best mark against any team. … Carl Grundström will slot in for Garnet Hathaway. The forward last played on Wednesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has seven goals and nine points in 25 games this season.

  • The Flyers need their top line of Trevor Zegras, Travis Konency, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game — and fast

    The Flyers need their top line of Trevor Zegras, Travis Konency, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game — and fast

    It’s been a roller coaster of a January for the Flyers.

    Within 27 days, the Flyers have claimed wins against the two-time Stanley Cup finalist Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks, endured a six-game losing streak, and snatched five of six points across the new Death Valley.

    Monday brought a reality check as the Flyers faced a division opponent, the New York Islanders, and were handed a 4-0 loss. But coach Rick Tocchet has emphasized how important it is for his club to remain at an even keel.

    Flyers takeaways: ‘Some guys accepted it,’ and more quotes from a disappointing loss to the Islanders

    “It’s huge,” forward Travis Konecny said when asked about Tocchet’s approach, which was also stated by Jamie Drysdale after the game Monday.

    “I mean, even during a game, I know, I get pretty intense and frustrated, but it’s important to just reset every shift and not let things drag on. Especially coming in this morning, a positive attitude, be excited to play, be excited to practice, and on we go.”

    The Flyers now head to Columbus to face a Blue Jackets team that has only lost once in six games since Rick Bowness took over following the dismissal of former coach Dean Evason on Jan. 12. And it’s another critical game against a division foe that trails the Flyers by just two points in a tight Eastern Conference. The Flyers are currently two points back of the Islanders for the final playoff spot in the Metro, albeit with a game in hand, and six points back in the wild card, also with games in hand.

    While Tocchet likes that his team is so close and has been resilient, he did say Tuesday that part of being close is holding each other accountable when warranted.

    “I’d like to see them get on each other a little bit. In a positive way — I’m not saying yell and scream — but whether it’s practice, or if somebody makes a mistake after the first in the dressing room after the coaches leave don’t be afraid to make your friend accountable,“ the coach said. ”Sometimes we’re all buddies and they’re scared to say something. I find that a little bit with this team. The teams that I’ve played or coached with the leadership gets on each other, in a good way. That’s probably the next level for this team.”

    If the Flyers are to stay in playoff contention, one thing they’ll need is the top line of Konecny, Trevor Zegras, and Christian Dvorak to rediscover its game. Since Jan. 1, Konecny has nine points in 11 games (he missed one game with an upper-body injury), and Zegras and Dvorak have seven apiece across 12 contests. From the outside, those numbers don’t look bad, but the glaring issue is their plus-minus; Konecny is a surprising minus-3, Zegras is minus-4, and Dvorak is minus-8.

    According to Natural Stat Trick, when the trio has been on the ice as a line at five-on-five since Jan. 1, the Flyers have allowed a greater share of shot attempts (54.34%), shots (53.49%), scoring chances (54.08%), and more high-danger goals (2-3). The one plus: they have managed to outscore opponents, 6-4.

    After averaging a point per game through his first 41 games as a Flyer, Trevor Zegras has two goals, five points, and is a minus-five over his last 10 games.

    But it’s a marked difference from the 38 games before the flip of the calendar. In those games, with that trio on the ice, the Flyers scored nine goals and allowed nine, but outshot (52.29%), outchanced from high-danger areas (63.01%), and outscored opponents from high-danger spots by a wide margin (7-2). They were also even in scoring chances.

    “I hate to use the word cheating; they’re cheating for offense,” Tocchet said of his top line’s game recently. “You’ve got to go through the procession to get offense. … And I think they put pressure on themselves. It’s not like a lot of guys are filling the net. So they feel that they have to be that line, but you can’t be that line that just cheats for offense.

    “You’ve got to play the right way. You’ll get the same amount of chances in the long run, and that’s the way you’re supposed to play the game anyway.”

    The Flyers need their top line to produce. Konecny played well during his latest streak, a four-game one with six points, which ended on Monday. But Dvorak has just two goals and one assist in the past seven games, all of which came in the OT loss to Utah, including one tally on the power play. Zegras has also cooled off considerably. He had 41 points in the first 41 games of the season, but has scored only twice in the 10 games since his emotional multi-goal game against his former club, the Anaheim Ducks.

    The Flyers will be irrelevant as long as they lack a No. 1 center. A trade for Robert Thomas could change that.

    “I think get to the inside with the puck. I feel like we’re kind of one-and-done plays right now, which is something we know, and we’re talking about,” Zegras said of his line.

    “It’s not like, ‘oh, we think we’re perfect and then we don’t have to do the little things or the hard things.’ I just think it’s that next play that we have to get back to making, whether it’s beating a check or supporting a guy in a corner. But I think just getting that puck to the inside.”

    Breakaways

    Dan Vladař participated in practice again but remains listed on injured reserve. Aleksei Kolosov was at the team’s practice, too. … The defensive pairings had Emil Andrae on the outside looking in. Tocchet said on Tuesday he felt the Swedish defenseman “seems to skate into trouble and he’s been losing the puck a lot.” … Defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the lineup on Monday after missing six games with an upper-body injury. He said it “[stunk] to kind of watch from the couch,” but said, while it’s never easy, he was able to slide right back into the lineup because the “last couple of years, I’m kind of used to it [but] it was a lot easier to come back after missing 10 days than when I was out for nine months.”

  • Dan Vladař injured, Flyers’ skid reaches four after 5-2 loss to Sabres

    Dan Vladař injured, Flyers’ skid reaches four after 5-2 loss to Sabres

    BUFFALO ― They say when it rains, it pours.

    And while it was raining and sleeting outside the KeyBank Center in Western New York for most of the game, it was stormy inside for the Flyers, too.

    Handed a 5-2 loss by the Buffalo Sabres, extending their losing streak to a season-high four games, the Flyers also lost two key players in the process — although Jamie Drysdale returned after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

    Rasmus Ristolainen didn’t even make it onto the ice for warmups. The defenseman was a full participant and was on the point for one of the power-play units during morning skate, but did not dress for the game. He is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

    Jamie Drysdale returns but Flyers lose Rasmus Ristolainen before Sabres game to an upper-body injury

    Goalie Dan Vladař got the start but did not return after the first period with an undisclosed injury. According to the Flyers, he will be re-evaluated after the game. Coach Rick Tocchet did not have an update when he spoke postgame.

    On the first Sabres goal in the first period, during a power play, it appeared that Vladař moved awkwardly when he wasn’t sure where a missed shot by Josh Doan went. He was slow to get up and was able to reset, but Rasmus Dahlin beat him from the point with Jason Zucker setting a screen.

    It was just the second shot of the game for the Sabres. Buffalo then scored on its fourth shot. Mattias Samuelsson, the son of former Flyers defenseman Kjell Samuelsson, made it 2-0 with a sweeping snap shot from the inside of the right circle. The goal came after Travis Konecny and Trevor Zegras had a two-on-one but lost the puck in the neutral zone to Doan.

    “I think right from the start, I think we maybe respected them a bit too much,” forward Owen Tippett said. “Few of those guys, you kind of have to play hard and take their time and space away. I think some penalties crept in that might have ended up hurting us, too. But, yeah, at the end of the day, I think we just need to be ready to play right from the start.”

    Vladař allowed two goals on five shots. Sam Ersson entered at the start of the second period and allowed two goals on six shots in the middle frame.

    Buffalo’s Jack Quinn made it 3-0 when he was left alone in front as the Flyers’ defense collapsed. Ryan McLeod got the puck behind the net and fed the open Quinn for a quick shot past Ersson.

    Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson replaced Dan Vladar in the second period and allowed two goals.

    The Sabres’ power play, which entered the game ranked 22nd in the NHL and had one goal in the last 21 opportunities dating back to Dec. 21, got its second on the man advantage off the stick of Dahlin, too.

    Dahlin got the puck above the circles, walked down, and sent a wrister past Ersson with Zucker atop the crease again. The Flyers’ penalty kill fell into the box setup, which allowed Dahlin the time and space to skate down the middle to make it 4-1.

    “Yeah, just really disappointed, like, I’m pretty disappointed,” said Tocchet. “I’m a PK guy, and the reads that we gave them weren’t good. They’re just unacceptable for me, so we’re going to have to tidy that up.”

    The penalty kill went 4-for-6. The Flyers’ power play had chances, too, but only capitalized on one of five opportunities.

    Philly got an early power play when Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen wrapped his arms around Christian Dvorak as he tried to corral the puck and do a wraparound. But the Flyers’ power play is struggling, and entered the night 31st in the NHL (15.3%).

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    On the first power play, they did have two shot attempts, with Zegras’ shot forcing Luokkonen to stop it. A positive was that it looked better than Monday against the Tampa Bay Lightning when it went 0-for-2 with two shot attempts, zero shots on goal, and an icing.

    After going 0-for-3, the power play finally cashed in with Zegras scoring — albeit off his skate in the third period. With the Sabres focusing on the other side of the ice, the forward crashed the net with Konecny’s pass going off his skate and past Luukkonen.

    The goal, to make it 4-2, was Zegras’ 18th of the year and seventh on the power play. Konecny now has 39 points in 44 games.

    In the second period, Tippett got the Flyers on the board to make it 3-1 with a pull-and-shoot.

    The forward started the play when he deflected a pass by Dahlin near his own blue line that was intended for Tage Thompson diagonally at the Flyers’ blue line. The puck bounced to Noah Cates, who sent it up to Tippett, and he used Samuelsson as a screen.

    Flyers right wing Owen Tippett scored his 15th goal of the season against the Sabres on Wednesday night.

    The goal is Tippett’s sixth in the past 12 games. Postgame, he gave Nikita Grebenkin — who was on his line for the first time this season — credit for driving through the defense and creating a bit of a distraction on his goal.

    “I think if you have that guy going to the net, it kind of switches things up,” Tippett said. “At that point, you just want to try and create as much as you can and try and impact the game and crawl back. So, yeah, obviously, whenever I have a chance, I’m going to try and shoot. But that one worked out being a good opportunity.”

    It’s hard to gauge when things went off the rails, as the Flyers put up shots quickly. And things would have probably gone differently if Luukkonen hadn’t committed highway robbery on Grebenkin 6 minutes, 5 seconds into the game.

    Tippett drew the attention of the Sabres’ goalie and sent a backhand pass over to a wide-open Grebenkin at the right post. A left-handed shot, Grebenkin attempted a shot off the pass, but Luukkonen flashed the leather and stole a sure goal.

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    The Flyers had a six-on-four power play chance with 2:15 left in the game with Ersson pulled, but were unable to score. McLeod added a short-handed empty-net goal.

    “I don’t know,” Zegras said when asked what went wrong. “I just think maybe we’ve got to get like, our spark, our mojo back a little bit. We just got to, I guess, reboot our brains a little bit, and know that it’s a hard league, and that you’re going to go through these tough stretches, and that’s part of it.

    “And we’re a pretty young team, and I know we have played well up to this point, but we haven’t really accomplished a whole lot. Got to keep the foot on the pedal and just keep going.”

    Breakaways

    The Flyers had 22 shots on goal and allowed 14. … Noah Juulsen had a shot go off the post with 9:58 left in the third period. … Forward Denver Barkey was a healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career.

    Up next

    The Flyers get right back to it on Thursday in Pittsburgh, facing the Penguins (7 p.m., ESPN), who have lost three straight.