In every sport, it is tempting to go out and grab the best free agent available and bring him to your team. The Eagles did this this past season with Saquon Barkley and were rewarded with a Super Bowl championship. Some teams get lucky with this. Some teams, not so much.
For the first time in about a decade, the Flyers are flush with cash. Like a young kid in a candy store, we are eager to spend. However, do you want quality or quantity with your purchases? You could buy a few really good candy bars or one huge one. What is more satisfying?
Likewise, is it better for Daniel Briere to dump a ton of money onto Mitch Marner or Sam Bennett, or is it better to acquire two or three solid pieces to help in the short term, like Brad Marchand or Kyle Palmieri? Decisions, decisions.
The case for a star player
It's been a long time since the Flyers have had "that guy" on the team. Historically, we've had a lot of them: Bobby Clarke, Tim Kerr, Eric Lindros, Wayne Simmonds, and Claude Giroux, to name a few. But Giroux was the last one. Yes, Travis Konecny and Sean Couturier are great guys, but they aren't the guys that this team can rally behind to victory.
On the Phillies, Bryce Harper can rally the troops, even if he isn't playing well. The Eagles can get behind Jalen Hurts and Barkley and ride on to victory. When his knees are cooperating, Joel Embiid can put the 76ers on his back and do some incredible things. The Flyers lack that. They've lacked that for a while now.
Adding an established star like Marner or an in-your-face player like Bennett would be a great addition. A threat who can change the fortunes of a game based on their drive and energy, sending the Xfinity Center into a frenzy, would be wonderful. This could be the thing that changes this franchise. And with some young talent ready to make their moves to the NHL, this could be the one piece that the Flyers are missing.
The case for multiple players
The problem is that one player is just one player. One player can be stopped. Just ask Alex Ovechkin how the playoffs went for him. One player can be shut down by a solid defense and a hot goalie. A team coming at you in waves of good players is a different story.
Yes, the Carolina Hurricanes have just gotten knocked out by the Florida Panthers. However, there are similarities between the two teams. Carolina doesn't have a super star on offense, much like the Flyers, but Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, Logan Stankoven, and Jordan Staal are all solidly good players. Be honest, you'd love to see any of those players on the Flyers.
Likewise, Florida, outside of Reinhart, isn't loaded with offensive superstars. However, when you have a team loaded with guys like Matthew Tkachuk, Alexander Barkov, and Bennett, they can come at you in waves. Both the Hurricanes and the Panthers have three solid forward lines and very good defenses. While you can stop one player, it is hard to stop three equally good lines.
Historically, one of the Flyers' biggest rivals has succeeded by not having a team chock-full of offensive talent. The New Jersey Devils won three Stanley Cups without having a lot of offensive stars, but built success with a team of solid role players, a mighty defensive unit, and a great goaltender.
How many times did we see the Flyers, filled with players who were far more talented, fall at their feet? Too many! The fact that Bobby Kolik has more Stanley Cups than Eric Lindros is almost criminal! But I digress. My point is that you can have a team that lacks major superstars on offense, but still be a great team.
For a Flyers team that already has good players like Konecny, Couturier, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and some young future stars on the way, maybe a superstar isn't needed. Let the young guys develop and grow into their own, and add two or three solid pieces (offense and/or defense), and allow the team to grow organically.
Which is the right solution? Who's to say? It all depends on who might be the right fit for the Flyers and who shares their vision in moving forward. Either way, Briere has a lot of things to consider. I'd prefer investing that money in a shutdown defender, like Aaron Ekblad, and signing a solid veteran free agent or two.