With the potential for two more games before the Stanley Cup is handed out, general managers have seemingly gotten tired of waiting. Trades have begun to fly, with plenty of rumors behind them. None have been bigger than the one-for-one (get it?) swap of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Darcy Kuemper.
Dubois moves on to his fourth team since joining the league in 2017, while Kuemper looks to bounce back after a rough season in Washington. But that isn't the point of this, despite how crazy of a deal this is.
While other trades and signings have happened, the Flyers are in the middle of a rumor of their own. Travis Yost, the first to report the Jakob Markstrom trade to the Devils, dropped another nugget of information.
Believe the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers have the framework of a trade in place as well, though this one may go closer to the Draft.
— Travis Yost (@travisyost) June 19, 2024
This has gotten people buzzing. Mostly due to the fact that there is no information involved other than the fact that the two sides have a potential deal worked out. That has left many to speculate what can be involved.
It does appear that this trade would involve a swap of the Senator's seventh overall selection with the Flyers' 12th overall. Ottawa has reportedly been shopping the pick and may have found a taker. Things can change between now and the draft, but it wouldn't be a shock to see those two picks involved.
Flyers and Senators linked in trade talks
The rest is up to speculation and there has been plenty of it. On the Flyers side, there is a belief that Scott Laughton is involved. The Senators have reportedly been interested in him for a while, but it was the previous regime was in place. It's uncertain if the current group has the same interest. Laughton has been in trade talks for years, and the Flyers have potentially turned down packages for him before.
Laughton has been an alternate captain and was officially named as a part of the leadership group after Sean Couturier was named captain. It's hard to see them trading him at this point, but where there's smoke, there's fire. Laughton had a decent year offensively, appearing in all 82 games for just the second time in his career. His goals and points dropped off slightly, as did his role in the lineup at times.
Rumors about Travis Konecny's future have continued to swirl around. Konecny was easily the MVP this past season and is due for a new contract next summer. Danny Briere spoke on the subject earlier this month, showing the Flyers' interest in keeping Konecny around for a long time. It would take a lot to part with the two-time 30-goal scorer.
Morgan Frost is another name that has popped up in trade discussions, especially after his earlier "feud" with John Tortorella. After what appeared to be a breakthrough season in 2022-23, Frost dipped this season. He has failed to find the true consistency needed at the NHL level and doesn't have many chances left. A change of scenery might be needed to continue his career at this level.
For Ottawa, Shane Pinto's name has been thrown around as a potential option. The young forward missed the first half of the season after a suspension for gambling. He put up 27 points in 41 games and has more room to grow. He's 23 years old and is a year off of a 20-goal campaign.
Jakob Chychrun played in all 82 games for the first time in his career. He tied a career-high with 41 points while his 14 goals were his most since the 2020-21 season. Chychrun's name was tied to the Flyers around the trade deadline. Adding in a defenseman doesn't make the most sense for the Flyers, though. They have a logjam at the position already and have others waiting in the wings.
Thomas Chabot is another intriguing option but goes back to the same point of bringing in another defenseman. Chabot also missed significant time this season due to various injuries but played rather well in the games that he was healthy. He put up 30 points in 51 games but hasn't been able to reach the level of play he had during the 2018-19 season. Injuries are the biggest concern for his future.
It may take a few days to figure out what this trade ends up being. But the rumor mill is just getting started.