Right now, Eagles fans are curled up in the fetal position, chanting, "It's not 2023! It's not 2023!" Phillies fans finally have some optimism after Kyle Schwarber re-signed. The Sixers...well, they are still the Sixers. It would appear right about now that the Flyers have the most consistent team in Philadelphia.
Here was a team that nobody thought much of at the beginning of the season. The team's paltry acquisitions weren't expected to do much. Instead, Trevor Zegras is shining now that he is out of the abysmal nightmare that is Anaheim. Christian Dvorak has been playing far better than advertised. Dan Vladar is playing at a level that the team may have to reconsider what its long-term plans in net are going to be.
The Flyers aren't bad, but let's be honest, they aren't a contender yet. They are in playoff contention at present and could make a wild card appearance in a VERY crowded Eastern Conference field. For them to be a true contender, they need to add a game-altering center, a true sniper on the wing, and/or a solid, bone-crushing defender. Again, to be honest, these are pieces just about every team is always looking for.
And that's the key here. With a lot of potential contenders looking for the same sort of pieces, the price needed to pay for them is going to be high. Just look at the Quinn Hughes trade. The Wild, a team on the rise, sacrificed a lot to acquire him. The hard thing there is Hughes has stated over and over that he'd love to play with his brothers. If this is true, then the Wild paid that price for a short-term rental.
Flyers Rumors A-Plenty
All season long, there have been rumors following the Flyers as the team has begun to exceed expectations. Many revolve around the Vancouver Canucks as they are, again, selling off all their talent. Some of these rumors are just plain stupid. Others revolve around certain players constantly, such as Owen Tippett.
It's here that the Flyers need to be careful in treading these trade waters. Some players could be affected by the rumors. Many have speculated that Tippett's woes this year are due, in part, to the constant rumors that he is going to about a half dozen teams (Ottawa, Buffalo, Boston, etc.) Players can become upset and resentful if their names are constantly tossed out there.
Secondly, what does this say about them? For example, if the Flyers get a solid defender to play, someone has to go or be benched. Who? Most likely, it would be Rasmus Ristolainen...or at least that's what we've talked ourselves into the last few years. Would the Flyers trade away a young talent like Cam York or Jamie Drysdale, who, by the way, is finally having a good year free of injuries?
Would they ship out a reliable guy like Nick Seeler, who's given his all to the team? How about a young guy like Emil Andrae who is starting to come into his own? Does this mean they've given up on their prospects? What does this mean for Oliver Bonk or Christian Kyrou? Do they no longer see them in their plans?
Same thing with the forwards. For the last few seasons, the team has been singing the praises of Jett Luchanko, Denver Barkey, Porter Martone, and Alex Bump. Are they losing interest in them, too?
There is also another side to this coin. Sometimes, to make a trade, you have to lose someone important. Without trading away Rick Tocchet, the Flyers don't acquire Mark Recchi. The Flyers never get John LeClair or Eric Desjardins if they didn't part with Recchi. Sometimes you have to make some painful cuts.
The Flyers do have some talented players that they've cultivated over the years. Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Bobby Brink, and Michkov all came up with the team. The Flyers also gave chances to Rodrigo Abols and Noah Cates. In their own ways, they've all contributed well. Still, the team needs help.
One of the best things about the Flyers' management is that they are loyal to the players. Couturier and Konecny, along with Travis Sanheim, have been around for a long time. That's rare these days. That's the kind of security players want to play for.
It's easy to want to grab the hottest name on the market and make some moves. You also want to make sure that the players acquired add to the team chemistry. Some players that have come here have detracted from that (Tony DeAngelo). Some guys don't fit the locker room and can ruin what is working for them.
As the weeks roll on, Daniel Briere needs to be careful. Don't mortgage the future for a short-term gain. Make moves that fit the overall chemistry of the team. However, don't let an opportunity to seriously improve the team go by.