NHL Mailbag: Could the Flyers realistically acquire Quinn Hughes?
Time for another DFO mailbag. This one will differ a little from my summer ones, as this particular mailbag will take a specific look at the Philadelphia Flyers based on the number of questions. Given the rumors surrounding them and the potential for a major add between now and the offseason, I suppose that it is pretty appropriate.
Without any more delay, let’s dive into it.
Based on what you know, do you think PHI would only be willing to trade for Hughes if they know he would sign long-term?
I mentioned this specifically in my story earlier in the week, and the answer is “no.” I, too, thought the Flyers would perhaps wait until the summer to pull the trigger on a Hughes deal when they could have a theoretical extension in place. Given Hughes’ desire to play with the New Jersey Devils, it was a reasonable assumption.
Speaking with Flyers sources, I’m told the team would trade for Hughes this season, even with the risk of there not being an extension in place beyond 2027. The reason is simple: the Flyers believe that they can flip him to regain value if they are unable to re-sign Hughes beyond next season.
Two potential playoff runs with Hughes seems enough for the Flyers to take that gamble – the question now is what the cost will be. You can imagine that the Vancouver Canucks will be looking for a king’s ransom.
By underlying metrics, the Flyers defense is pretty good. You mentioned how they’d be more inclined to trade for a top D instead of a top C. With a team that is having trouble producing offensively but is relatively steady defensively, why is this the current stance?
In an ideal world, both the 1C and 1D holes would be plugged. But if it is one or the other, the latter is the more pressing need because of what the team has in the pipeline.
No, the Flyers don’t have anyone who projects to be a top-line pivot, but they have several, like Jack Berglund, Jett Luchanko, and Jack Nesbitt, who could all be middle-six to second-line centers if they hit their ceilings. Coupled with the significant talent they have on the wings (both in the present and future) with Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, there is a belief that the Flyers could, theoretically, do it by committee.
The back end is much more shallow, as the 2023 first round, Oliver Bonk, is the only non-roster defenseman who projects to have a top-four ceiling. Even at that, I don’t get the sense that Bonk is viewed as a potential alpha dog rearguard in the making. Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, and Cam York are all rock-solid top-four defensemen, but all fit the bill more as a Robin rather than a Batman. Unlike upfront, there isn’t a plausible path to the Flyers being able to make it work on the back end.
Is it time for the blues to tear it down? I believe it is but I’m looking at through rose colored glasses
I spoke with St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong two years ago; he told me then that the Blues had been preparing for a period of transition for several years leading up to the 2022-23 season. The Blues are a team in the Midwest who don’t exactly seem to have the appetite for a full-scale teardown. They were expecting a turbulent window of years in the post-Ryan O’Reilly era; they are now trying to figure out which players will take them through the period of transition.
Should the Blues blow it up? Perhaps, but I just don’t see that being in their DNA. Even if they were to move off of forward Jordan Kyrou, they still have forwards Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich and defenseman Colton Parayko locked into long-term deals; defender Cam Fowler has his three-year contract extension kick in July of 2026. My best guess is that the Blues are going to tread water as they gradually weed out the “bad apples” and integrate younger players (led by forwards Dalibor Dvorsky and Jimmy Snuggerud, along with goaltender Joel Hofer) into key roles.
I don’t see a full teardown being even remotely in the cards for Armstrong and the GM-in-waiting, Alex Steen.
Michkov,TK,Sanheim plus 2 conditional 1sts (if Hughes resigns) for EP40 and Quinn Hughes…..who says no?
Well, the Flyers do. Matvei Michkov (along with Porter Martone) is untouchable, so we can stop with that speculation. Tyson Foerster is just about there too, but it sounds like that conversation could at least be had on the part of the Flyers if it pertained to Hughes. As for Travis Konecny, I can’t see why the Canucks would want him at his age, nor do I see the Flyers approaching him to waive his NMC in year one of his eight-year contract extension.
Defenseman Travis Sanheim has no trade protection and is the anchor of the blueline; even if the Flyers are getting Hughe,s I don’t see them wanting to move off of the former. As for Elias Pettersson, his major AAV of $11.6 million until 2032 is a major pass for the Flyers right now.
All in all there are just too many things about this proposed trade that don’t make it plausible.
For the Flyers to make room for Luchanko, Martone and Bump next season. Who do you predict will be move out of town to make room for them? Most likely this will happen this summer.
The two names I’ve thought of are Bobby Brink and Owen Tippett. Tippett, in year two of an eight-year contract, has trade protection kicking in next summer. One GM told me earlier in the year that Tippett’s contract ($6.2 million AAV) is an attractive one, even if he is just a second-line scorer. If the Flyers don’t make a more significant move with one of their more prominent wingers, Tippett almost surely has to be on the outs; he has had interest from other teams, too.
As for Brink, I really like the player (as do the Flyers), but unfortunately, I think it will come down to a numbers game. There are only so many spots to go around, and Brink just strikes me as the pariah in all of this. Formidable, solid middle-six winger, but one who could become expendable to the likes of a Denver Barkey in the near future.
Additionally, moving on from UFA-to-be Christian Dvorak is also a strong possibility, though he has had an outstanding season skating alongside Trevor Zegras.
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