For a while now, fans and hockey prognosticators have been saying that the Philadelphia Flyers need a bona fide center. Noah Cates is a solid guy, but not a top-line center. Christian Dvorak and Trevor Zegras had each split time, off and on, at left wing and center. Sean Couturier also has the center role locked down, but is aging. Rodrigo Abols was filling in nicely at the fourth line role, but got hurt. Luke Glendening is currently replacing Abols on that bottom line.
Until Jett Luchenko and Jack Nesbitt are ready to take over the center role full-time, the Flyers need an additional guy. Jeff Skinner is still available and could've been nice for a playoff run, but, oddly, nobody in the NHL has acquired him after a month of being released from San Jose. He is ineligible for the playoffs at this point anyway.
Since the Flyers didn't trade for one at the trade deadline, it would appear the team is going to wait until this summer to seek one out. But who is available? Who could Daniel Briere target? There are three categories the Flyers can look at.
The Old Timers
If the Flyers are truly waiting for their young crop of centers to become NHL-ready, then these tried and tested vets could make some sense. You could sign them to a lucrative one-year or two-year deal and hope that they can carry you to the playoffs based on their experience. If the team flounders, they could become highly desired trade deadline assets.
This is an interesting crop. There are a lot of older (and I mean older) vets that could become available. First, there is Evgeni Malkin. He'll be 40 this summer, but he's scored 13 goals with 47 points so far this season. Yes, he has often been injured, and his faceoff percentage is dropping (44.2%), but it would be fun to steal him from the Pens.
He's not the only older, grizzled vet who is available. Booner Jenner will be 33 in June. He's not a high-scoring guy, but he's more of a defensive-minded center. Erik Haula is a better scorer and a little more physical. He'll be 35. Patrick Kane will be 38 next season and will also be a free agent. 35-year-old Charlie Coyle is having a nice bounce-back year with Columbus and could do the same in Philly.
The RFAs
Okay, maybe those names don't jump out at you. Are there some young guys who could be traded for or signed as a restricted free agent? As a matter of fact, there are. One of them, Connor Bedard, we've already looked at. Who are the best of the rest?
Hate to keep picking on Columbus (Jenner and Coyle), but they have four centers available this summer. Adam Fantili is having a nice season so far (19G, 27A) and is also becoming a stronger presence in the faceoff circle. Likewise, teammate Cole Sillinger is also an RFA. Sillinger is not as good a scorer as Fantilli and is poor in the faceoff circle, but at 22 years old, he could still improve his game.
Leo Carlsson is someone that Anaheim is going to want to hold onto. Likewise, Dylan Holloway is someone the Blues desperately need and he's primarily a winger. Barrett Hayton is having a down year scoring-wise, but has been a strong force in the faceoff circle. Perhaps some of these could be traded for with some draft picks or a player (Rasmus Ristolainen?) if contract negotiations break down.
RFAs are a tricky thing. You never know if a team will match an offer sheet, nor do you know if other teams would retaliate and steal your players. Still, it's an option.
The Reunions
Then there are the former Flyers who could be returning. First, there is Scott Laughton. Laughton is having a down year scoring-wise, but he is having one of his strongest seasons in the faceoff circle. He was just traded for peanuts after Toronto gave up a first-rounder for him last year. Laughton is a great clubhouse guy, but there really is no reason for the Flyers to re-sign him next season.
Next up is Kevin Hayes. Just kidding! But he will be available.
Finally, there is every Flyers fan's hope in a reunion with Claude Giroux. He just turned 38 years old. He's not the scoring giant he was a few years ago. Father Time is starting to wear him down. However, he is winning a blistering 62.1% of his faceoffs. He led the NHL in faceoffs last year with 61.5% as well. He could be a great mentor to someone like Luchenko or Nesbitt. Would he come back to Philly? That's another question.
If you are looking for a savior at center this summer, the options are looking pretty slim. Unless Briere makes a sneaky move for a top-tier RFA, there might not be anyone the Flyers can count on this year.