Ever since the Flyers failed to acquire Leo Carlsson, things have been fairly quiet for Philly. Except for the upcoming arbitration hearing for Jamie Drysdale, nothing much is happening. So what now?
Well, there are two options. The first option is that the Flyers run it back with the crew they have and hope that all of their young stars, like Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, take the necessary steps forward to become better. Overall, that wouldn't be terrible and might help the core of this team gel and get stronger as a team.
The other option is to pivot and make a move on the trade market. If that is the case, there are three players that Daniel Briere could acquire that might not cost too much.
Alexander Nikishin
Nikishin is an RFA defender for the Carolina Hurricanes. They haven't extended him yet and are trying to move the young defender. Why? It has nothing to do with his play. It has to do with the team having no room for him. This was his rookie season, and he played well, but being the sixth/seventh defender is not what he is worth.
Take a look at Carolina's defense: Jaccob Slavin, Sean Walker, Shayne Gostisbehere, K'Andre Miller, Joel Nystrom, and Jalen Chatfield. Nikishin is too good to be relegated to the third line, especially since he's going to want a payday. The Canes are trying to move him so he can get the playing time he deserves while getting something back.
Ideally, they are hoping someone takes him and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. If you take both, you can probably pay less overall. However, a first or second-round pick with a prospect might be enough to pry him from Raleigh. To be honest, perhaps Kotkaniemi and Nikishin could be taken straight up for Rasmus Ristolainen
Besides his scoring touch - 11 goals and 22 assists as a rookie this season in 81 games - the 24-year-old has another benefit. He and Michkov were on the same KHL team in Russia. That's a connection. Nikishin has also played with him in international tournaments. Michkov has admitted to being a bit "lonely" with no other Russians on the team. A familiar face could be good for his spirits.
Nikishin is a young Russian defender with some promise. He is the sort of player who would easily fit what the Flyers are trying to become. Considering he just won a Stanley Cup, that wouldn't hurt either.
Chris Kreider
Thanks to Briere's bold move to acquire Carlsson, the Ducks are in a pickle. They need money. After accepting an offer sheet that made Carlsson the highest-paid player in the NHL, they still have to deal with Cutter Gauthier's looming contract. They need help. They need salary relief.
Even though Pat Verbeek is probably seething at Briere, the Flyers can help him out. Veteran left winger Chris Kreider is making $6.7 million this season. That money could help pay for the salaries of Pavel Mintyukov, Tyson Hinds, and/or Vyacheslav Buteyets. If the Flyers take on the whole salary, they could offer a mid-level pick, like a third-rounder, and maybe cough up a prospect like Helge Grans or Artem Gurtev. Verbeek may be upset at Briere, but you can't pass up an opportunity to improve your team's chances at re-signing a lot of your top prospects.
Kreider is a long way from his 50-goal season in 2021-22. Still, he scored 22 goals with 28 assists. The 35-year-old would give the Flyers a solid shot from the left side as well as veteran experience. Plus, he is signed on only for this year. The Flyers could keep him through the playoffs or flip him at the deadline for more draft capital. Either way, it's a win-win.
Adam Fantilli
Yes, the Flyers could straight-up-RFA-offer-sheet the Columbus star player. That would be kind of a jerkface move, however. Striking out against one team for an RFA is one thing. Going after another, while legal, is frowned upon. Briere could do it, but would likely be ostracized by other GMs for a while.
So, how can the Flyers acquire Fantilli without become paraiahs? Easy. If Fantilli doesn't want to re-sign with Columbus OR wants more money than the Jackets are willing to offer, the Flyers can swoop in. Fantilli is easily worth a first-round draft pick. He is already a star player. I would be willing to take a chance and trade away Jett Luchanko (still an unknown quality player) for one that we know is already a force. You may have to throw in another mid-level pick, but it would be worth it to get a center of his quality and extend him long-term.
Fantilli could be a cornerstone of the Flyers moving forward. If he doesn't want to stay in Columbus, the Jackets may want to do something before he holds out or makes things difficult. This is where a sweet offer from the Flyers could pay dividends.
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