By now, you've heard the news. The Flyers did not select a center with their first pick. After all, the Flyers have been a little short at center for a while now. Despite several highly touted centers who had somehow fallen into their spot in the draft, the Flyers selected Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. On paper, it's a steal. Martone was expected to have been gone by this point. For him to slip into our hands is a nice gift. The kid can flat-out score. However...
Any acquisition means that someone else's role is diminished or eliminated. For example, it is expected that Trevor Zegras is going to take the top center role to start. That means either Sean Couturier or Noah Cates will slip to the third-line role.
With that in mind, which right winger could be in danger of losing his job on the Flyers? Let's take a look at each one that is currently on the roster.
Travis Konecny
Konecny isn't going anywhere. Let's be honest. If anyone on this team is a leader who is not Couturier, it's him. It's part of the reason why he was signed to a mega extension last season. Konecny can play top line or second line effortlessly. He is an unselfish player. We don't have to worry about him going anywhere.
Matvei Michkov
Ditto for Michkov. He is the future of this team. Unless you are going to get a whole bunch of top prospects and picks (like Connor Bedard and Anton Frondell together), he's not going anywhere unless there is a major future contract dispute, and I hope I didn't speak that into existence. Now, Michkov is also a left-handed shot. There is a possibility that he could be moved to the left wing. If he is successful there, the Flyers could have a very scary front line.
Tyson Foerster
The Flyers just handed Foerster a two-year extension at $3.75 million a year. He is a young, rising star for this team and is likely the team's third-line winger. He has also spent time on the left side, but his natural position is at the right wing. He is still cheap enough to move if the Flyers were forced to, but he is probably not going anywhere.
Bobby Brink
Brink is where things get interesting. He's improved over the last few seasons, setting career highs in goals (12) and assists (29). The former second-round pick has shown his worth and could be someone that Rick Tocchet can inspire to do better and greater things. He's also cheap at just $1.5 million a season. If the Flyers want to acquire someone from a cash-strapped team, he'd be perfect trade bait. I'd hate to see the Flyers ditch him, but he'd be an easy casualty.
Owen Tippett
For some reason, he seems to be a favorite as a trade candidate by pundits and fans. To be fair, part of that seems to be because he stagnated this season. However, so did most players this year. Could he be traded? He's more likely than Konecny or Michkov. I feel that the Flyers really like him. It's why they gave him a long-term extension last year. They'd probably have to eat some of that salary, which puts the team right back in salary cap hell. No. I think he's here for a while.
Garnet Hathaway
Hathaway plays right wing on the fourth line. He also has spent some time at center. He's a useful guy to have around. He's got one year left on his contract. He's a popular guy in the locker room. There is a possibility he could be traded, but because of his versatility, he's probably going to be held onto.
Martone, most likely, will need a year or so to develop. He would need to go back to juniors if he doesn't make the roster. For now, the Flyers are set. However, if they want to start him off at the NHL level, someone will have to go. Either Michkov could be experimented at left wing, which again could make for a lethal combo with Martone and Zegras, or the Flyers will have to move someone. If someone is traded, my money would be on Brink for right now, as he could bring in a much-needed defender, center, or goalie. For now, we'll have to wait and see.