The Stanley Cup Playoffs haven’t even concluded yet, and the Philadelphia Flyers have already been connected to an upcoming Free Agent forward.
Philadelphia Flyers General Manager Chuck Fletcher stated his interest in adding a two-way centerman to the team this offseason, and it looks like he’s already scouting one of the top names available. Prominent NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 31 Thoughts article on Saturday morning that the Flyers are one of three teams doing their ”due diligence” on upcoming Winnipeg Jets Free Agent Kevin Hayes, along with the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks.
I’ve mentioned my personal desire of Fletcher bringing Hayes to Philadelphia in previous articles and think he’d be a solid candidate from the free agent market to fill the second line center role as long as the price isn’t too steep. He netted 55 points (19 Goals, 36 Assists) in 71 games with the Jets and New York Rangers last season, which was the highest mark during his five-year NHL tenure. The 27-year-old ranked third on the Jets in average shorthanded Time on Ice among forwards, showing he can kill penalties, but had mixed results in terms of the type of shot rates his teams gave up while he was on the ice at 5-on-5 in Winnipeg and New York.
Hayes also has a history with current Flyers Head Coach Alain Vigneault, playing under him for three seasons with the Rangers. While he was able to put up 35 points in Vigneault’s system, his possession metrics at even-strength were pretty lack-luster for the most part. I realize that not every single player needs to drive play in order to be a capable hockey player, but I’d like to see his career Corsi-For and Fenwick-For percentages to be higher than 48.0% if he’s going to take the 2C role on the Flyers.
This more than likely won’t be the only player the Flyers get linked to over the summer, as Fletcher will be aggressive in making moves to help improve the roster. Stay tuned and buckle up for an interesting offseason, Flyers fans.
