The Flyers have spent this offseason being fairly busy. They've re-signed Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster. They're negotiating right now with Cam York and still have Jakob Pelletier to look at. The team also hired a new coach in Rick Tocchet.
The draft is coming, and the Flyers have eight draft picks in the first three rounds. That's safely assuming the Flyers don't trade some of the picks to move up or for some player from some other team.
Which brings up another point. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic (subscription required) has hinted that Daniel Briere may not make a big splash when it comes to some of the pending free agents. The Flyers certainly have the money, about $19 million in cap space, but don't seem interested in going "willy-nilly," throwing money around.
If this is true, it could be due to one (or more) of the following reasons:
1. The team is conscious about possible future raises and doesn't want to return to salary cap hell
It's a ways off, but the team could be interested in rolling with who they have. They have a young core that is learning to grow together. They have good chemistry. They may not want to mess that up. Saving money and giving these young guys extensions would make them happy and keep the band together. But are these guys as good as the team hopes they are, or have they seen the best? Perhaps with a new coach and another year under their belts, this young squad we've been developing can flourish when unleashed.
Either way, the Flyers don't want to sign a guy long-term and then be right back where they are, where they can't afford anything. They won't be able to re-sign quality players or compete. Then, they're back in what they are trying to get out of and enter another half-decade of being a mediocre team.
2. Instead of free agents, the Flyers are going to make a trade
Most of the upcoming free agents are on the wrong side of 30. While some of these players are still very dominant, do you want to commit a lot of money to some guy who is older than what you want?
However, there is the RFA market. Most of those players are young, and you can make an offer sheet to them or swing a trade instead of shedding draft picks.
If that is the route that Briere is taking, there are some real gems out there. Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson, and K'Andre Miller would be great additions to the defense. If you want someone to shore up the offense, Matthew Knies at left wing or centers Morgan Geekie or Gabriel Vilardi could fit in nicely. Lukas Dostal could also make for a nice acquisition in the net as well.
So instead of concentrating on the big-name free agents, the Flyers could concentrate on a handful of RFAs that could be cheaper than the high-priced guys, especially if they belong to cash-strapped teams.
3. Briere is throwing smoke
If everyone knew the Flyers were out for a certain free agent, say Mitch Marner or Aaron Ekblad, the cost would go up quickly. If you play hard to get like "Oh, I guess Marner might be nice, maybe....." and feign disinterest, it might keep the costs of a free agent from skyrocketing ever higher. Throwing out false rumors of "We're into this guy," "No, we're not" might be a ploy for the team to throw possible competitors off the scent of their true intentions.
Does that stuff work in the NHL? I'm not sure. But I can say for certain, if you come out looking desperate for someone, that will only drive the price higher.
4. Briere is prepping for the 2026 offseason
Maybe it is that none or few of the pending free agents appeal to Briere. Maybe they are bad fits, or their agents have indicated to the brass in Philly not to contact them. So, the adage of "wait until next year" might come to pass.
Yes, the salary cap will rise, but other teams may find themselves constrained by bad salary cap decisions. If the Flyers hold onto cash, they could be buyers at the trade deadline if it looks as if they are going to the playoffs.
Then, in the offseason, after appearing to be a team on the rise, they can make some moves. Here are some of the prizes of next year's free agent class (assuming they don't get extended): Connor McDavid, Artemi Panarin, Cale Makar, Jack Eichel, Patrik Laine, Martin Necas, Adrian Kempe, Ben Chiarot, Filip Gustavsson, and Stuart Skinner.
A lot of those guys would look nice hitting the ice for the Flyers. Most of them will probably be extended. It's hard to imagine McDavid leaving Edmonton or Makar leaving Denver. But if they did, they'd be worth splurging on.