The Flyers just traded Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Calgary Flames in the first of what could be several trade deadline deals. In return, the team received Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, and some draft picks. However, that's not all they got.
By trading Farabee away, they have traded away his contract. Now, $5 million a year isn't a lot of money, but it is for a stagnating player. The reason losing this contract is important is because of the salary cap
The salary cap should increase by $7.5 million next season and keep climbng from there on out. Granted, the Flyers will have to re-sign RFAs Cam York, Noah Cates, and Tyson Foerster. Kuzmenko is a free agent. If he seems to click with the team, the Flyers could sign him to a "prove it" deal. Pelletier will also be an RFA. Same thing. If the Flyers like what they see, they can keep him; if not, ditch him.
When you also consider that the Flyers will lose the contracts of Cal Peterson ($3.8 million) and Tony DeAngelo ($1.67 million), Daniel Briere will probably have close to $10-$15 million to spend, after the raises for the RFAs of course. So, who could the Flyers sign with that kind of money?
Potential Flyers Free Agent Targets
If you are looking for a savior for the Flyers, this will probably be a disappointing free-agent class. There aren't a lot of major stars and the Flyers might end up in a bidding war with other teams. Likewise, how many top free agents may want to come to a team that has been sputtering for years?
So who can they sign? John Tavares? That would've been nice six years ago. Same for Jamie Benn, Jeff Skinner, Brent Burns, Patrick Kane, and old friend Claude Giroux. If you are looking for a center, there are not many young ones who are available.
Probably the best forward option would be Mitch Marner. With Toronto always "so close" to the Stanley Cup, the NHL's version of the Buffalo Bills will throw everything to keep him there. Brock Boeser would be a nice addition. Would he leave Vancouver for Philly?
On defense, Aaron Ekblad and Jakob Chychrun would be great additions to a weak defense. Likewise, they would probably fit the kind of system that John Tortorella is trying to employ. However, Ekblad would be coming from a top team and Florida will try to retain him. Likewise, Chychrun wants to be on a contender after years of wallowing with the dregs. He is not coming to Philadelphia. K'Andre Miller would be a great steal from the Rangers as an RFA, but the Blueshirts won't let him go.
If you don't want to run it back with Sam Ersson, the goaltender market is less than promising. Your best bets would be Adin Hill or Ville Husso.
So, it might be another dry year, free agency wise, for the Flyers. Now, 2026 could be a better year, but if the Flyers are still stuck in neutral, it may be hard to convince a top player to come here, no matter how much money you throw at him.