Well, the offseason is finally here for the Philadelphia Flyers and their fans. At least it came a little bit later this year than in past years. This team is finally moving in the right direction after years of being a laughingstock. Even so, there is some work the Flyers need to do to keep this momentum moving forward.
Re-Sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale
The first thing the Flyers need to do, and the most important, is to re-sign their castoffs from the Anaheim Ducks. Both Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale were healthy and played to expectations from when they were drafted. Zegras and Drysdale both had career years, with Drysdale starting to give us some of the Shayne Gostisbehere vibes.
They need to be re-signed to long-term deals. Once the Flyers re-sign them, they can figure out if they can get any free agents on the market. Yes, the salary cap is expected to increase, and the team currently has about $7 million in cap space, though that'll increase once the offseason officially begins. They are both RFAs this year. Get them re-signed first, and then the rest of the offseason can start up.
As far as Zegras is concerned, the good news is that he wants to stay. There are probably particulars about the deal (how long, contract terms) they need to iron out, but this shouldn't take too long.
Extend Dan Vladar
When Dan Vladar was first signed, everyone questioned how good he would be. Would he be a legit starting goaltender or just a part-timer sharing time with Sam Ersson? Turns out he'd be the team MVP.
Vladar is on a very team-friendly $3.35 million deal. He has one more year on his contract. With Ersson an RFA this year, there is a good chance he is gone. Aleksei Kolosov is still unproven at the NHL (or AHL) level to be reliable. The other prospects are too young. Do the Flyers need to get a veteran goalie this offseason?
Either way, it might not be bad to see if Vladar would want to sign a three or four-year extension to stick around. He's 28 now. That would put him into his early 30's', just when many goalies enter their prime. The Flyers have waited too long for a solid goalie. Let's keep him around for a while longer.
Other Important Flyers to Re-Sign
The Flyers have five players who will become unrestricted free agents: Rodrigo Abols, Carl Grundstrom, Garrett Wilson, Luke Glendening, and Noah Juulsen. Are any of these guys worth keeping around?
Abols was playing well enough as a fourth-line center until Sean Couturier took over that role and turned that line into a great checking line. Abols might be worth keeping around as a depth center if he signs for $800K like last year. However, do they need him?
Glendening is another case. He is older and may retire. However, he clicked well with his fourth line mates. That line was really strong during the playoffs, and he even scored a goal. I would not be opposed to him returning on a one-year deal.
As for the other three, it all depends. Juulsen was a decent veteran presence for the Flyers who was worth more in what he taught young defenders how to play than in his actual play. Is he worth keeping around? Maybe. Grundstrom played out of his mind when he first arrived in Philly, scoring seven goals in his first 12 games. He cooled off a bit, but as a depth piece, he isn't bad and might be worth holding onto. Wilson was a nice feel-good story for the AHL veteran. If the Flyers keep him, it's probably back to the Phantoms for him. If anything, he'd be one of those end-of-the-summer re-signings.
Start Looking Long Term
After that, the team needs to look at long-term goals once the short-term needs are met. Are there some prospects that no longer fit the team's future? After all, this team did trade away Bobby Brink. Speaking of which, does the arrival of David Jiricek spell doom for Emil Andrae? What about Helge Grans or other defensive prospects?
As the young guys are no longer younger but becoming two or three-year veterans, are they still worth keeping and holding onto? Would it be better to trade them while they are still worth something? Is there a big defender or a top pick that someone could be moved for? A trade like this could hurt, but would it make the team stronger in the long term?
After all, since 2020, the Carolina Hurricanes have either lost via trade or free agency since 2020: Dougie Hamilton, Brent Pesce, Teuvo Teravainen, Vincent Trocheck, Brady Skjei, Marty Necas, and Jake Guentzel. And every season, despite losing top-notch players like these, they come back even stronger. Maybe there are some players that the Flyers may have to cut some ties with, which may help them out as they continue to grow.
Either way, Daniel Briere and Co. have a lot to figure out over the next few months. September and training camp will be here before you know it.
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