Although the season has barely started, the Philadelphia Flyers have already emerged as a team seeking to bolster their defensive corps. With a string of injuries impacting their blue line, management is reportedly exploring trade options to secure the reinforcements necessary to shore up their defense before the season truly gets underway.
Rasmus Ristolainen recently underwent surgery for a right triceps injury and is expected to be sidelined for at least a month or two, missing a significant portion of the season. Meanwhile, Cam York is dealing with a lower-body injury, currently listed as day-to-day, but there's a chance it could lead to a stint on injured reserve. This leaves Dennis Gilbert, the seventh defenseman on the roster, remaining in the NHL for the time being.
And with the trade of Ryan Ellis, the Flyers now have $6.64 million in cap space, giving them the flexibility to target nearly any player they want in terms of salary. This newfound room, however, comes after offloading the problematic Ellis contract, which had become a significant drain on the team’s payroll in recent years.
The Flyers are reportedly eager to use at least part of their newfound cap space to acquire a defenseman, a move that comes as no surprise given the consistent reports from training camp and the preseason. Across the board, one theme has emerged: The blue line is in dire need of reinforcements.
The big question now is which defensemen the Flyers are targeting. The unfortunate truth is that almost any blueliner would be an improvement at this point. Even the now-retired Erik Johnson briefly considered coming out of retirement to join the Flyers before ultimately deciding to stay in Colorado, underscoring just how dire the situation has become.
To put it in NFL terms, it’s reminiscent of Kurt Warner’s post-retirement scenario: after leading the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl appearance, Warner watched as his former team descended to the bottom of the standings, even contemplating a comeback years later to help turn things around. The Flyers are facing a similar reality. At this point, you might as well hang up a banner with "SOS" written across it.
The Flyers did make some notable offensive upgrades during the offseason, including the acquisition of Trevor Zegras. Yet, the unfortunate reality is that even before Ristolainen and York were sidelined by injuries, the team's defensive depth was already under scrutiny. Now, with those injuries materializing, the worst-case scenario has come to fruition for Philadelphia.
Is the solution in Colorado?
If I were in the Flyers' position, I’d be reaching out to the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs currently find themselves in a rather enviable dilemma—too many defensemen. Keaton Middleton, while not a household name, stands at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, bringing a rare combination of size and skill. His physicality and long reach make him a significant disruptor on the defensive end.
Middleton had an outstanding offseason, and while he was reassigned to the AHL, it was not due to a lack of effort. Given his potential, he could likely be acquired for a 2026 second-round pick. That would be my offer.