Since taking over the Flyers, Danny Briere and Keith Jones have kept things close to the vest. There are hardly any leaks out of Philadelphia regarding any of their next moves. If something comes out, it has typically been from the other side.
Trades like Ivan Provorov and Cutter Gauthier were never reported on before they happened. The latter, especially, came as a surprise since no one knew that Gauthier had refused to sign with the Flyers. Being able to keep things in house has allowed Briere and company to get the value they want in return.
Rumors have recently come around that the Flyers are interested in acquiring Nicolas Hague from the Vegas Golden Knights. They aren’t the only team sniffing around. It likely has to do with Hague’s imposing side, though he was far less physical this season than in years prior.
However, according to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, there may not be a serious interest from Philadelphia’s side.
The Flyers' rumored interest in Vegas defenseman Nic Hague was pretty strongly denied to me from a team source. I do not expect that to happen.
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) June 11, 2025
Carry on
Now, the Flyers wouldn’t come out and say they were interested. That would potentially lower the possible value or give Vegas an edge in any negotiations. It’s the Knights who hold the cards since Hague is a restricted free agent. They don’t have to let him go that easily.
But back to the Flyers, their reported lack of interest may be a good thing. They have multiple defensemen with the same makeup of Hague. Nick Seeler is the typical physical, shutdown defensemen. The two also provide a similar amount of offensive value. Seeler had a career high in assists (17) and points (20), while Hague tied a high with five goals.
Both average nearly the same amount of ice time. Hague is sitting at exactly 17 minutes per game. Seeler is just above him at 17:17. Hague is six years younger than Seeler so there’s a chance he can provide more value for more years.
Hague’s advanced metrics grade out slightly better, but goaltenders also had an impressive team save percentage of .915 during 5-on-5 play. Seeler wasn’t far behind as Flyers’ goaltenders had a .911 save percentage with him on the ice at even strength. So the two were very similar in nearly every category you look at.
Hague is due a raise, while Seeler is locked in at $2.7 million until after the 2027-28 season. It’s possible he decides to retire after that while Hague could have at least 10 years left in the league. That sounds like it would be better for the Flyers, but they have plenty of defensive prospects that are drawing excitement.
Emil Andrae has already made the jump. Helge Grans should have a prime opportunity to fight for a spot. Oliver Bonk may need at least a season down in the AHL, but there has been plenty of hype around him. The Flyers are very excited about what Hunter McDonald can bring. Locking up Hague for a few years could take away spots from younger players.
The Flyers also have Rasmus Ristolainen, another defenseman that plays a similar style to Hague. While he is expected to miss the beginning of the season, he has provided solid value to the Flyers in recent years. He could end up being flipped at the deadline if all goes well.
As Broad Street Hockey recently wrote, the Flyers don’t need to get into a bidding war for a defenseman who doesn’t move the needle much. They have similar players in house and shouldn’t tie up money in a spot that they have numerous prospects waiting in the wings for.
If the Flyers want to spend any money for a defenseman this summer, there are cheaper options than Hague.