The Philadelphia Flyers' season is not over yet, as they try to secure a playoff spot with just 12 games left on the schedule. The Flyers' brain trust insisted that there was no playoff-or-bust mandate, but they did want to see improvement. This Flyers team may have their top goalie in Dan Vladar, while Trevor Zegras has thrived since his trade from the Anaheim Ducks. Plus there were some highlights for Matvei Michkov, although he didn't take the steps fans had anticipated entering the year.
However this season goes, the Flyers have one need that is obvious, and that's at first line center. The Flyers were not necessarily in the running for one at the trade deadline, since they were far out of a playoff spot. But entering this offseason, their options are pretty limited. So much so, it may be worth just continuing general manager Danny Briere's plan of building through the draft.
Flyers need for a No. 1 center may not be available this summer
NHL.com's Dan Rosen answered a variety of questions from a Flyers fan about the state of the team and why fans should be excited. Rosen said that the Flyers' biggest need was for a No. 1 center and that it's not easy to land one without drafting one.
"The Flyers' biggest need is a No. 1 center. It's not easy to get one without drafting one, but that is priority No. 1 in the offseason. It will require a trade and with [Porter Martone] coming, the Flyers could look to include either Owen Tippett or Travis Konecny in a deal for a center. That's to be determined, obviously, but there's enough reason for fans to feel comfortable with where the team is now and where it's going," writes Rosen.
The free agency class this upcoming summer was set to be loaded, with there being multiple superstar centers available like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Unfortunately for them, and every other team in need of a center, both re-signed with the Edmonton Oilers and Vegas Golden Knights respectively on contract extensions. The options available in free agency aren't exactly No. 1 centers, with Evgeni Malkin, Charlie Coyle, and Erik Haula standing out.
As for the trade block, there are going to be some big centers available. At the trade deadline this year, the likes of Brayden Schenn and Nazem Kadri being dealt. However, there were other centers that were floated at the deadline, but ultimately stayed put, such as Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers and Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues. While they were not dealt at the deadline, that doesn't mean they can't be had in the offseason.
The issue for both Thomas and Trocheck is that both will be expensive in trade talks.
The Blues had an exorbitant asking price for Thomas, as evidenced by failed trade negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres reportedly offered what was the equivalent of multiple first-round picks, while the Blues were looking for draft picks, players, and prospects. Ultimately, the Sabres were unwilling to meet what the Blues were asking for, with Josh Norris being the name that caused them to back out of the deal.
As for Trocheck, Rangers general manager Chris Drury had a high asking price for him as well. Given Trocheck had a partial no-trade clause, he only wanted to be dealt to the East Coast. While the Minnesota Wild were heavily linked to Troceheck, they didn't meet Drury's price point. The expectation is that Rangers are banking on Trocheck's trade value increasing, given the lack of center options available.
Then there are the unrealistic options. Notably Elias Pettersson. The Vancouver Canucks forward is not living up to his lucrative contract, and despite how expensive it is to pay him, he was linked to multiple teams. The Flyers did make sense as a landing spot, since Rick Tocchet used to be Pettersson's head coach in Vancouver. The Athletic's Kevin Kurz reported in January that the Flyers simply didn't have interest in Pettersson, as they didn't feel he'd be the piece that could help lead them to a Stanley Cup.
Given the lack of options, unless an Auston Matthews or Brady Tkachuk were to become available, there isn't a top line center that is worth giving up the farm for. Because of this, it might be best for the Flyers to try to land one in the draft and see if one can develop into their No. 1 center for the foreseeable future.