The Philadelphia Flyers haven’t really been the subject of abundant trade speculation this season. Yes, the Flyers, like all clubs, have been looking to make moves. But this season has not been one in which Philly has bubbled to the surface of major rumors.
But that could change soon.
In fact, the Flyers could take center stage as chatter ramps up regarding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
The Canucks are heading into a full-fledged rebuild, meaning that Pettersson may no longer fit the team’s current plans. Just about every team has been linked at one point or another to Pettersson.
But the Flyers have a unique connection: Rick Tocchet.
In a January 18 piece, insider Marco D’Amico tapped an anonymous insider source who believes the Flyers could make a sensible destination for Petterson. The source believes that Tocchet could be the connection to bridge the gap between the Canucks and Flyers.
The source revealed:
“A team like the Flyers — with Tocchet being very familiar with Petey and having unlocked his best offensive seasons — could make a lot of sense. Philly has a few young centers and defensemen and lots of picks. A team to watch, I’d say.”
Indeed, the connection between Tocchet and Petterson is hard to ignore. The talk has been that Pettersson needs a reset, and getting away from Vancouver could be a major step in that direction. That’s why the Flyers make a ton of sense, should the deal ever happen.
As for when this trade could happen, it might happen sooner than expected. Insider Frank Servalli dropped this interesting insight into when the Canucks may be willing to move Pettersson.
“From the volume of calls, the interest that the Canucks have fielded...it feels like it's trending in that direction and that he's gaining some traction on the trade market.”
The comments underscore how a trade could come sooner than expected. While it may not necessarily happen at the trade deadline this season, it might happen during the offseason. For instance, the Canucks and Flyers could hook up at the 2026 NHL Draft to make something happen.
It’s worth pointing out that Pettersson has a full no-trade clause in his current contract. So, the Canucks would need his permission to make this trade happen. That’s why it’s fair to speculate that Pettersson would waive it to head to the Flyers and reunite with Rick Tocchet.
There are also questions about Pettersson’s price tag and his cap hit. However, if the Canucks are willing to accept a reasonable offer and keep their asking price relatively low, a trade could be feasible.