- May 21, 2026
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The Philadelphia Flyers took a major swing this summer when they signed Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson to a five-year offer sheet that carried an $18-million AAV. The Ducks ultimately matched the contract for the 2023-second-overall pick, leaving the Flyers with no big-time acquisition over the summer.
While GM Danny Briere did moderately improve his team with the additions of goaltender Joseph Woll and forward Noel Acciari – along with the arrival of 2025-first-round pick Porter Martone last spring, who is a Calder Trophy favorite this season – it left a lot to be desired in a summer when a lot of fans and pundits expected the team to do more.
The Flyers are set to start the season with a roster largely similar to the one that was swept by the Carolina Hurricanes last spring – but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t looking to make additions.
Speaking with team sources, Daily Faceoff was told that the Flyers are, “looking to improve.” Yes, this is the case with all teams, but reading the tea leaves, there does seem to be at least somewhat of an urgency from the Flyers to make a significant addition this season; a deal is far from imminent, though.
One player the Flyers had circled on was Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Kirill Marchenko, who was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a blockbuster trade that involved six players and a draft pick Monday. The main piece going back to Columbus was left winger Matthew Knies; this was the definition of a “hockey trade,” with the Jackets getting a top-six winger (who’s younger than Marchenko) with significant cost certainty. With so many players historically looking to exit stage left in Columbus over the last decade, having Knies locked in until 2031 ($7.75-million AAV) was invaluable in the deal. Getting back a roster player ready to make an immediate impact was essential for the Blue Jackets, as they weren’t interested in a pure-futures deal.
Marchenko was subsequently signed to a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $12.5 million that will kick in next season.
Speaking with team sources, it sounds like the Flyers’ ideal package for Marchenko was a deal that would’ve included “three assets” considering that elite defenseman Quinn Hughes went for four assets less than a year ago. While these players are not ones the Flyers are shopping or even have offered in proposed trades, a package involving forwards Alex Bump and Noah Cates along with a first-round draft pick is one the Flyers were willing to offer up, per sources. But with Knies ultimately being the player going the other way for Marchenko, it’s easy to see why the Flyers didn’t get a deal done.
Another player the Flyers have circled on is Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who recently expanded his trade list to eight teams. According to team sources, the Flyers are still not on Larkin’s expanded list of teams he would accept a trade to; that being said, they are still keeping tabs.
While the Flyers prefer Marchenko as a player, Larkin fills “more of a need” positionally for the Flyers as a center, DFO was told. Even though Larkin is already 30 years old, he is a top-30 centerman in the league and is on a really good value contract ($8.7-million AAV until 2031), especially with a skyrocketing salary cap.
According to sources, the Flyers would be willing to pay a similar package of three assets in a deal to acquire the former-Red Wings captain. Whether that is enough for Larkin remains to be seen, as interim GM Shawn Horcoff has his hands full jumping on a derailed train at hyper speed. According to one source, there is a belief that Horcoff could be looking to fix the relationship with Larkin, which could result in this saga dragging out longer than expected.
There is also the question as to what the Red Wings want in return for Larkin. Should Horcoff be looking for more of a “hockey trade” like we saw Columbus make with Marchenko, the Flyers’ ideal package of three assets may not get it done. The best comparable players to Knies that the Flyers have are wings Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett, who are under contract until 2035 and 2032, respectively. But with both players being significantly younger than Larkin, there isn’t a sense that the Flyers would want to move either of Foerster or Tippett.
The Flyers don’t feel like they’d have to move a center to make room for Larkin in light of a potential trade, as Trevor Zegras or Cates (if he isn’t included in a package) could simply shift to the wing, per sources. But of course, this is all a moot point as long as the Flyers remain off of Larkin’s list, though they will continue to monitor it closely.
Additionally, the Flyers are keeping their eyes open for defensive depth, as The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta reported on Sunday, though it isn’t a top priority. Speaking with sources, if the Flyers are to add a depth rearguard, it will be one with size; they already have two smaller defensemen in their starting rotation in Jamie Drysdale and Cam York. A defenseman with a similar archetype of Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames is something the Flyers would be looking for.
There have been some whispers that the team isn’t thrilled with defenseman David Jiricek, who was acquired from the Minnesota Wild at last year’s NHL Trade Deadline for winger Bobby Brink. Jiricek, 22, has long been projected to be the Flyers’ third-pair, right-side defenseman to start the season.
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While GM Danny Briere did moderately improve his team with the additions of goaltender Joseph Woll and forward Noel Acciari – along with the arrival of 2025-first-round pick Porter Martone last spring, who is a Calder Trophy favorite this season – it left a lot to be desired in a summer when a lot of fans and pundits expected the team to do more.
The Flyers are set to start the season with a roster largely similar to the one that was swept by the Carolina Hurricanes last spring – but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t looking to make additions.
Speaking with team sources, Daily Faceoff was told that the Flyers are, “looking to improve.” Yes, this is the case with all teams, but reading the tea leaves, there does seem to be at least somewhat of an urgency from the Flyers to make a significant addition this season; a deal is far from imminent, though.
One player the Flyers had circled on was Columbus Blue Jackets right winger Kirill Marchenko, who was sent to the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of a blockbuster trade that involved six players and a draft pick Monday. The main piece going back to Columbus was left winger Matthew Knies; this was the definition of a “hockey trade,” with the Jackets getting a top-six winger (who’s younger than Marchenko) with significant cost certainty. With so many players historically looking to exit stage left in Columbus over the last decade, having Knies locked in until 2031 ($7.75-million AAV) was invaluable in the deal. Getting back a roster player ready to make an immediate impact was essential for the Blue Jackets, as they weren’t interested in a pure-futures deal.
Marchenko was subsequently signed to a six-year contract extension with an AAV of $12.5 million that will kick in next season.
Speaking with team sources, it sounds like the Flyers’ ideal package for Marchenko was a deal that would’ve included “three assets” considering that elite defenseman Quinn Hughes went for four assets less than a year ago. While these players are not ones the Flyers are shopping or even have offered in proposed trades, a package involving forwards Alex Bump and Noah Cates along with a first-round draft pick is one the Flyers were willing to offer up, per sources. But with Knies ultimately being the player going the other way for Marchenko, it’s easy to see why the Flyers didn’t get a deal done.
Another player the Flyers have circled on is Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin, who recently expanded his trade list to eight teams. According to team sources, the Flyers are still not on Larkin’s expanded list of teams he would accept a trade to; that being said, they are still keeping tabs.
While the Flyers prefer Marchenko as a player, Larkin fills “more of a need” positionally for the Flyers as a center, DFO was told. Even though Larkin is already 30 years old, he is a top-30 centerman in the league and is on a really good value contract ($8.7-million AAV until 2031), especially with a skyrocketing salary cap.
According to sources, the Flyers would be willing to pay a similar package of three assets in a deal to acquire the former-Red Wings captain. Whether that is enough for Larkin remains to be seen, as interim GM Shawn Horcoff has his hands full jumping on a derailed train at hyper speed. According to one source, there is a belief that Horcoff could be looking to fix the relationship with Larkin, which could result in this saga dragging out longer than expected.
There is also the question as to what the Red Wings want in return for Larkin. Should Horcoff be looking for more of a “hockey trade” like we saw Columbus make with Marchenko, the Flyers’ ideal package of three assets may not get it done. The best comparable players to Knies that the Flyers have are wings Tyson Foerster and Owen Tippett, who are under contract until 2035 and 2032, respectively. But with both players being significantly younger than Larkin, there isn’t a sense that the Flyers would want to move either of Foerster or Tippett.
The Flyers don’t feel like they’d have to move a center to make room for Larkin in light of a potential trade, as Trevor Zegras or Cates (if he isn’t included in a package) could simply shift to the wing, per sources. But of course, this is all a moot point as long as the Flyers remain off of Larkin’s list, though they will continue to monitor it closely.
Additionally, the Flyers are keeping their eyes open for defensive depth, as The Fourth Period’s Dave Pagnotta reported on Sunday, though it isn’t a top priority. Speaking with sources, if the Flyers are to add a depth rearguard, it will be one with size; they already have two smaller defensemen in their starting rotation in Jamie Drysdale and Cam York. A defenseman with a similar archetype of Zach Whitecloud of the Calgary Flames is something the Flyers would be looking for.
There have been some whispers that the team isn’t thrilled with defenseman David Jiricek, who was acquired from the Minnesota Wild at last year’s NHL Trade Deadline for winger Bobby Brink. Jiricek, 22, has long been projected to be the Flyers’ third-pair, right-side defenseman to start the season.
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POST SPONSORED BY bet365
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