While the start of free agency seemed like it would be a dud in terms of excitement for Flyers fans, the Leo Carlsson offer sheet changed that in one fell swoop.
Now, Danny Briere and the Flyers are locked in a staring contest with Pat Verbeek and the Anaheim Ducks, seeing which team will pay Carlsson for his services as a top-line center. While we're stuck in that holding pattern, a few other Flyers questions are lingering that deserve attention.
Grumbling About Grebenkin
One of the Flyers RFA's, Grebenkin, seemed like a no-brainer to come back, until he wasn't. The Flyers went out and signed Noel Acciari, and with Porter Martone and Alex Bump ready for full-time NHL work, it seemed that Grebenkin might be relegated to the role of 13th forward.
Then the Flyers re-signed Carl Grundstrom. He had a decent half-season and did well in the bottom six. So did Grebenkin, who left us wanting more, especially after missing a significant number of games (27) between injuries and scratches.
Still, Grebenkin doesn't seem like a player who should be the 14th forward. His status is in limbo until the Flyers know how much money they have for the rest of the year, but he's someone whose ice time may become very much in doubt.
What's the Peaking Order For Defense?
Trading the rights to Emil Andrae and letting Noah Juulsen walk opened up the sixth and seventh defenseman spots for the Flyers.
The sixth likely goes to David Jiricek. A highly valued prospect and former sixth overall pick, he's now on his third team and needs to prove himself soon. An efficient AHL producer, he needs that to begin translating to the NHL if he wants to preserve a future in the league. He is also no longer waiver- exempt.
We've seen that Rick Tocchet isn't shy about benching players or creating a rotation. With Simon Benoit playing the role of Juulsen this year, how quickly do we see him in for Jiricek? You've also got Oliver Bonk and Ty Murchison close behind.
If a move has to be made to clear a roster logjam if the Carlsson contract goes through, does a defender move? Does one of the players waiting get to jump up the queue?
Zavragin or Bust?
The Flyers extended goaltender Dan Vladar until 2032, presumably to be the starter, and brought in Joseph Woll, who is under contract for the next two seasons and is an experienced backup with possible starting goaltender talent. The netminding situation looks set up for at least the next two seasons.
With that in mind, it appears that Alexei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnsson might be out of the development loop in favor of Russian prospect Yegor Zavragin.
Zavragin is playing with Metallurg Magnitogorsk after being traded from SKA St. Petersburg. He figures to get plenty of experience as a starter this season, and the path for him to assume the net in North America seems to be setting up nicely.
Will Kolosov or Bjarnsson impress enough in the AHL to change things? Will an injury allow either of them to make an NHL impact? Or are the Flyers simply waiting on Zavragin? Have the Flyers finally found actual goaltending depth?
We'll explore these narratives and more as the real season unfolds.
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