How the Stanley Cup Playoffs could impact the Flyers

For the fifth straight season, the Philadelphia Flyers won't be playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs — they weren't even close — but the organization will still be keeping a watchful eye on the NHL postseason, as a few outcomes may dictate what they choose to do this offseason and beyond.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs could play a role in shaping the Flyers' future

First and foremost, the Flyers' first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft will not be affected by anything that occurs in the playoffs. Finishing 29th overall this year has the Flyers firmly locked in with the fourth-best odds to win the lottery, and they will be picking no lower than sixth, no matter how the lottery gods may choose to smite them this season. But later in the first round is where the fun begins.

The Flyers hold back-to-back picks, thanks to trades they made with the Edmonton Oilers and the Colorado Avalanche last year. The Oilers' pick (No. 24 overall) resulted from the Flyers dealing the No. 32 pick last year to Edmonton. If you recall, this was the pick the Flyers had originally acquired from the Panthers in the 2022 Claude Giroux trade. Quite the trickle-down effect there. Meanwhile, Colorado's pick (No. 25 overall) was part of last year's Sean Walker deal.

These picks have some good value to them if they stay at No. 24 and No. 25, but they have the potential to either improve or get worse. The Flyers should already be pleased that neither Edmonton nor Colorado had dominant regular seasons, with both finishing third in their respective divisions. It's just about the best result the Flyers could have hoped for among realistic outcomes for two good clubs like the Oilers and Avalanche.

Per NHL rules, the four conference finalists will be assigned the last four picks in the first round (and subsequent rounds), meaning that there is still a potential for the Edmonton and Colorado picks being at the very end of the first round. In the worst-case scenario for the Flyers, the Oilers and Avalanche square off in the Western Conference Final, with the winner claiming the Stanley Cup. In that case, the Flyers' picks would slide down to No. 29 or 30 and No. 32. Not nearly as appealing as picking in the mid-20s.

What the Flyers and their fans should be rooting for are quick exits by both the Oilers and Avs. Or, at the very least, both of them falling short of the third round. This would likely result in their picks remaining in the original slots at No. 24 and No. 25, but things could get even better for the Flyers if they get some help elsewhere. If any of the following teams end up making the third round while Colorado and Edmonton don't, these clubs would leapfrog them to pick later in the first round: Carolina, Florida, Ottawa, Minnesota, St. Louis, New Jersey, Montreal.

In a "perfect" situation, we would see something like the Hurricanes/Panthers and Wild/Blues in the two conference final series. There's probably at least a 50/50 shot that one of the aforementioned teams makes it, but it's highly unlikely that the Flyers will get more help than that. Bottom line: Root against the Oilers and Avalanche, and if you're playing the long game, you can hope that Toronto fails so spectacularly that it throws them into such existential turmoil that their 2027 first-round pick (Scott Laughton trade) will be higher in the first round when we get there.

In the end, the Edmonton and Colorado picks could move up to four slots forward, which would be fantastic for the Flyers, although not necessarily for the reason that you may think.

Could the Flyers simply make their pick around No. 4 and then take two more players in the 20s with the other two picks they currently own? Sure. And, don't forget, they have FOUR MORE PICKS in the first half of the second round — their own and the ones previously belonging to Columbus, Calgary, and Anaheim. With 7 of the first 48 picks in this draft, it seems pretty unlikely that the Flyers will keep them all, so it could very well be trade time.

Something extremely unforeseen would have to happen for the Flyers to consider dealing their first-round pick, and so the two later first-round selections have to be considered as 'in play' for immediate help before or at the draft. If you see the Flyers pull the trigger on some kind of move, whether it be to get a top-six caliber center for Matvei Michkov or some other piece that will improve the club immediately, it could set off a chain reaction.

If the Flyers envision themselves being a better team next season, they would be more likely to put their 2026 draft picks on the line by potentially tendering an offer sheet to someone this offseason. Offer sheets aren't something that a truly bad team would entertain because they need the vital draft picks that they would otherwise lose as compensation. But, for a club amid improvement, the lost picks are simply the cost of doing business to obtain a star player to help you win now. It may be overly bold to suggest, but the Flyers could employ a three-pronged approach to jolt the team into playoff contention this offseason, like so:

* Use the team's top-6 pick (maybe even the top overall pick or the No. 2 pick if things break right) to draft a player ready to make an immediate impact.

* Use one or both of the Colorado/Edmonton first-rounders, potentially along with other picks or prospects, to trade for an established top-6 NHL forward. Playoff results could make these picks more valuable than they are at the moment.

* Put out an aggressive offer sheet for a restricted free agent (subscription required) that strikes the right balance of being the right fit for the team and whose current team is in an unlikely position to counter.

Unfortunately, the Flyers won't be playing any playoff games coming up, but the offseason could potentially be a very exciting one for other reasons. There is room for optimism going forward, and perhaps some of the outcomes of the 2025 NHL postseason will play a role in tilting things just a little more in the Flyers' favor going forward.