Flyers could snag a young defenseman from a division rival

As the offseason officially begins, we should start to see movement across the league. Typically most teams wait until the Stanley Cup is handed out before making trades. The Flyers could be involved in one and address a need in the process.

Alexander Romanov is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. That doesn’t mean that he will be on the move as the Islanders have first dips on keeping his services. Romanov is one of five defensemen hitting free agency for New York. He is arbitration eligible, but could also be hit with an offer sheet as well.

Romanov is coming off a three-year deal that had a $2.5 million cap hit. His qualifying offer sits at the same number, but it’s more likely he’d be looking for more money on his next deal. Rosner mentioned Romanov could see somewhere between $5-$6 million on his next deal. With the cap rising steadily, younger players like Romanov could be looking for short-term deals now and cash in once the cap has gone up. Defenseman can take a little longer to hit their prime and Romanov turned 25 in January.

But first, the Flyers would have to figure out if Romanov is interested in a change of scenery. The fact that they’ve talked to the Islanders means they have interest of their own. With Rasmus Ristolainen expected to miss all of training camp and potentially the beginning of the season, Romanov could be the perfect replacement.

Romanov is five years younger and plays the same physical style. He was third on the Islanders with 147 and lead the team with 165 blocks. He only had 20 penalty minutes this season, meaning he has found a way to toe the line and not put his team down a man.

He has chipped in slightly on offense, registering four goals and 20 points in 64 games. Romanov isn’t a large offensive performer, only posting 17 goals and 83 points in 354 games. But it doesn’t seem like that’s why the Flyers would be interested. It’s the 6’1” and 220 lb frame Romanov boasts.

There is another RFA that this deal could hinge on, however. And that is the Flyers own Cam York. There has been reported progress on a new contract as all options appear to be on the table regarding what type of contract he could receive. Before this season, a long term deal in Sanheim’s range was a possibility. Now, it’s unclear how the Flyers value him. But it does look there is still interest on both sides to remain together.

If things do come together for York and the Flyers, that would likely may any potential deal for Romanov a moot point. Philadelphia does need a replacement for Ristolainen, but they would be probably be unlikely to give term if they bring York back.

York produced at a near identical pace to Romanov this season, posting four goals and 17 points in 66 games. That was a huge drop from 10 goals and 30 points the prior season. York did lose time with a shoulder injury and took some time to get back into things. He also had the reported rift with John Tortorella. A new coaching staff could iron things out.

The Flyers have to determine if last season was a one-off for York. They cannot commit themselves to him if there is any belief that his offense has regressed. Like Romanov, York is still young. He turned 24 in January so he’s a year younger. One bad season at his age isn’t necessarily a sign of things to come.

There’s not even a guarantee that Romanov is available or would be willing to come to Philadelphia. He doesn’t have any trade protection so it’s not necessarily his choice. It’s also a matter of what the Islanders could be looking for. Rosner also mentioned that it could take a late first-round or early second-round pick depending on the team. The Flyers have seven picks in the first two rounds.

Of course, the Islanders could just decide to re-sign Romanov and call it a day. It depends on what other teams are offering. The Islanders don’t lack cap space, sitting above $20 million. Including Romanov, they have 10 players hitting free agency and they certainly won’t be bringing all of them back. Noah Dobson is one of their biggest names and should certainly garner much more than the $4 million he was making. That may determine what the Islanders do next.

The plan has remained the same for the Flyers. They won’t be taking any shortcuts or becoming the top bidder for bigger name free agents. But Danny Briere won’t hesitate to make a move if he feels it will improve the team. We’ll see if he believes acquiring Romanov is worth it.