Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Jackie Spiegel

  • The Flyers’ complete 2026-27 schedule was announced Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    The Flyers’ complete 2026-27 schedule was announced Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    Let the countdown to the 2026-27 season officially begin.

    In 76 days, Flyers hockey is back with the season and home opener on Sept. 30 against their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The NHL begins the campaign the day prior, with five games including the Carolina Hurricanes raising their banner before hosting the Florida Panthers. It marks the league’s earliest start in North America.

    On Wednesday, we also learned that the Flyers will play the following night against the New Jersey Devils in their home opener at the Prudential Center, in addition to also helping former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson and the Ottawa Senators open their home schedule on Oct. 8.

    On Thursday, the NHL released the complete 84-game schedule — yes, there are two extra Metropolitan Division games this season for the Flyers. It is the first time the NHL season will play 84 games since the 1993-94 season.

    Here’s everything we know about the Flyers’ 2026-27 schedule.

    Noel Acciari (55), now wearing a Flyers uniform, will face his former team right off the bat in 2026-27.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    When is the Flyers’ first game of the 2026-27 season?

    As mentioned above, the Flyers will host the Penguins on Sept. 30 at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7:30 p.m., TNT). The rest of the games scheduled for TNT, ABC, and ESPN, along with the NBCSP schedule, will be announced at a later time.

    There will be some new faces on each team, with former Flyers forward Andrei Kuzmenko now on the Penguins and ex-Pens forward Noel Acciari facing his old buddies after inking a two-year deal with the Flyers on July 1.

    “I’m glad to have them on my side now because they are very passionate, and they’re all up in your face,” Acciari said about the Philly faithful.

    Of course, the Penguins will still have Evgeni Malkin, who re-signed after the Flyers eliminated Pittsburgh in six games in the opening round of the 2026 playoffs; Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, and Sidney Crosby, who has 139 points in 93 regular-season games against the Flyers.

    It will be the eighth time the Flyers host the Penguins in the season opener (5-2-0) and the ninth time they will open the season against Pittsburgh (4-3-1-0). The Flyers are 33-18-5-2 in home openers and 29-20-7-2 in season lid-lifters.

    The Flyers will get their first chance for some revenge on the Hurricanes, who swept them in the second round of the playoffs, in North Carolina on Oct. 3.

    Could Alex Ovechkin’s final NHL game come against the Flyers?Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    When does the Flyers’ 2026-27 season end?

    The NHL will wrap up the season on April 10 when all 32 teams suit up.

    Philly will face Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals in the first game of the day, at 12 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It could be the regular-season finale of Ovechkin’s storied career.

    Signed to a one-year deal, the NHL’s all-time goals leader (929) will turn 41 in mid-September. This season will be his 22nd in the NHL, but he recently told Match TV, a Russian sports channel, that he wouldn’t mind hitting 1,000 NHL goals. He has scored 54 goals against the Flyers in 82 regular-season games.

    Old pal Cutter Gauthier will show his face in Philly a week before Halloween. Kyusung Gong

    When do the Flyers face Cutter Gauthier and the Anaheim Ducks?

    The Flyers faithful won’t have to wait too long to give Gauthier another warm welcome in Philly. The Ducks close out a four-game road trip with a matinee game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Oct. 24.

    Of course, there is a new wrinkle this year after Flyers general manager Danny Brière and the organization tendered an offer sheet with a five-year contract, worth an average annual value of $18 million, to center Leo Carlsson. The Ducks eventually matched, making the Swede the highest-paid player in terms of AAV in the NHL.

    The Flyers will be in Anaheim on Jan. 3.

    When are the Flyers playing during the day in 2026-27?

    The Flyers play 15 games during the day, with eight in South Philly.

    Sam Ersson will be back in Philly as a member of the Ottawa Senators in October. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    When does _____ return to Philly?

    Garnet Hathaway: Traded in late June, Hathaway and the Florida Panthers make their first appearance at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 14 and return on Jan. 26. The Flyers also visit Sunrise, Fla., on March 27.

    Bobby Brink: Sent home to Minnesota at the trade deadline in the deal that brought David Jiříček to the Flyers, Brink and the Wild visit South Philly on Nov. 3. The Flyers are in Minnesota on Dec. 5.

    Emil Andrae: After being traded in June, the Maple Leafs defenseman gets a chance to take on his former team at XMA on Jan. 7, with two games in Toronto on Nov. 30 and Jan. 9.

    Sam Ersson: While the Flyers will help the goalie and the Senators — he was originally sent to Toronto with Andrae — open their home schedule on Oct. 8, the Swede returns to XMA on Oct. 17. The Flyers are also in Ottawa on Nov. 19.

    Noah Juulsen: Signing with the Colorado Avalanche in free agency, the defenseman will return Oct. 19, and the Flyers will kick-start the dreaded “Death Valley Trip” in Denver on March 9 before heading to Las Vegas and Utah.

    Flyers goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoît will return to Toronto for the first time on Nov. 30. Acciari will be in Pittsburgh for the first time on Jan. 31.

    Do the Flyers play on Black Friday in 2026?

    Yes. The Flyers return to their rightful place of playing the day after Thanksgiving after being booted last season because of an Eagles home game. The Birds lost 24-15 to the Chicago Bears.

    This year, the Flyers will host coach Rick Tocchet’s old team, the Vancouver Canucks, on Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. Since 2006, the Orange and Black have not hosted a game on Black Friday only three times — the 2020-21 COVID-19-shortened season and the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season, with each starting in January, and last year.

    The Flyers have an impressive record of 26-9-1-4 in games played after getting their fill of turkey and cranberry sauce (only from the can is acceptable).

    Where is the Flyers’ road trip going during Disney On Ice in 2026-27?

    Every year, following the NHL’s holiday break, the Flyers head out of town for an extended road trip as Disney On Ice descends on Philly.

    Last year, the Flyers headed to Western Canada and Seattle. This year, the Flyers begin with a pit stop in Chicago, which Connor Bedard (shoulder surgery) is expected to be back for, before heading to the West Coast for matchups against the Kraken, Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks, the Ducks, and Scott Laughton and the Los Angeles Kings.

    Although it is a nine-day trip, it is not the longest for the Flyers this season. Assuming they head straight from a Nov. 5 game against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden to Calgary, Alberta, the Flyers will be on a five-game, 10-day road trip. One nugget for this trip: This is the final year that the Flames are playing in the Scotiabank Saddledome before opening a new arena next season.

    The Flyers have a four-game road trip that begins locally on Long Island (March 20) and continues to New Jersey (March 23) before rounding out in Florida, March 25 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and March 27 at the Panthers.

    They also have a few three-game road trips: Oct. 5-10: Tampa Bay, Ottawa, Boston; Nov. 19-25: Ottawa, Montreal, Washington; March 3-13: Colorado, Vegas, Utah; April 3-8: Pittsburgh, Carolina, Columbus

    Sean Couturier should reach the 1,000-games pinnacle with the Flyers this season. Karl B DeBlaker

    News and notes about the Flyers’ schedule

    • With two games added to the schedule, the Flyers will play each of their Metropolitan Division opponents four times.
    • They have 12 back-to-backs, including a tough stretch Jan. 9-16 with five games in eight days.
    • The Flyers will play 16 weekend games at home, with 11 on Saturdays and five on Sundays.
    • On Monday, Feb. 22, the Flyers will play at 1 p.m. in Philly against the Montreal Canadiens. The game is early, not because it’s Presidents’ Day, which is the week prior, but because the game is being coined an “International Primetime Game.” According to the Flyers press release, the game is “specifically designed to reach a global audience through a European primetime broadcast window.” Goalie Dan Vladař is the headliner for the Flyers as it will be 7 p.m. in Czechia. The matchup at the Hurricanes on April 5, a 2 p.m. start, is another of the International Primetime Games.
    • If he plays in every game, captain Sean Couturier will skate in his 1,000th NHL game on Jan. 12 in Nashville. He will join Bobby Clarke (1,144) and Claude Giroux (1,000) as the only players to play in 1,000 NHL games solely with the Flyers. Forward Travis Konecny (723), and defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen (820), and Travis Sanheim (660) could also hit big milestones. Konecny would become the fifth player to hit 800 games as a Flyer, joining Clarke, Giroux, Couturier, and Bill Barber (903), and Sanheim would become the fourth defenseman to reach 700 behind Éric Desjardins (738), who he could surpass, Joe Watson (746), and Chris Therien (753).
    • The NHL’s All-Star Weekend will be held at UBS Arena on Long Island on Feb. 5-6. On the first night, 10 young stars, ages 25 or younger, will compete across eight events. The following day will be the All-Star Game, with five teams of 11 players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States, and a “World” team competing in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament. The Flyers will be off Feb. 4-12
  • Flyers GM Danny Brière talks Trevor Zegras contract, Leo Carlsson efforts, and more: ‘I’d be very comfortable going into the season’

    Flyers GM Danny Brière talks Trevor Zegras contract, Leo Carlsson efforts, and more: ‘I’d be very comfortable going into the season’

    It may be mid-July, but the Flyers brass is still working.

    On Thursday, Flyers general manager Danny Brière spoke to the media via Zoom less than 24 hours after inking restricted free agent Trevor Zegras to a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an annual average value of $9.125 million.

    Of course, it wasn’t the only topic, as this was the first time he was speaking since sending shock waves through the NHL by tendering a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that the Anaheim Ducks eventually matched.

    The Flyers still have a ton of cap space — Puckpedia has it at $20.4 million — and although Brière reiterated the mantra that they are always looking to improve the roster if it makes sense, he added, “What I can tell you is I’d be very comfortable going into the season with this lineup.”

    Here’s what else Brière said.

    Trevor Zegras became the highest-paid Flyer on Wednesday. Chris Szagola

    On the Trevor Zegras contract

    “Yeah, it’s a nice feeling,” Brière said of getting the contract done and avoiding salary arbitration next Wednesday. Had it reached that point, the Flyers would have had an option of only a one- or two-year deal set at the AAV decided upon by the arbitrator. If they had opted for two years, Zegras would have been an unrestricted free agent in 2028.

    Brière continued: “Obviously, Trevor is a big part of our team, a big part of our future as well. Since we acquired him, it’s been extremely positive, and the way he carries himself, he’s lively in our locker room — he’s a big part of the locker room — but he’s also a big part of the community. People, they love him. So I’m glad it’s done. It’s much nicer to get a deal done, and a long-term deal done, rather than go through arbitration.”

    There was some give and take with Zegras and his agent, Pat Brisson. Some wonder why the New York native, who said countless times this past season that he loves playing in Philly, wasn’t locked up for longer, but it sounds like four years were “the sweet spot” and that “they gave us some things that were more in our favor on a four-year deal.”

    The Flyers’ complete 2026-27 schedule was announced Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.

    “He’s about winning. He cares about this team,” Brière said. “Even in this negotiation, he took charge. He’s the one who said, ‘I want to be in Philly. I love it here. I want to stay there.’

    “So it’s a big reason why this contract was done, this extension was done, because Trevor was really involved, and Trevor was adamant that he wanted to be in Philly.

    “ … He’s going to have to take a bigger part of the leadership process on this team. So I’m really excited about him and how he’s grown as an individual in the last year, especially with us. But I think it goes way back — he’s gone through a lot in his career, some ups and downs that weren’t always easy. I think that makes you stronger in the long run, and we’re fortunate that we’re the team benefiting from that.”

    While the AAV looks more like the money doled out to a center, is that where the Flyers see him? Brière wouldn’t commit, saying it’s “not up to me to decide.” He did stress that the final contract to Zegras and the offer sheet to Carlsson, a center, had nothing to do with the other. “We wanted both on the team at the time when we made the offer sheet,” he said.

    Brière talked for the first time since the Anaheim Ducks matched the Flyers’ offer sheet for center Leo Carlsson (91).John Locher

    On the impact of the Leo Carlsson offer sheet

    According to Brière, the league, including players and agents, took notice that the Flyers not only have deep pockets, but also want to be back on top.

    “The answer is yes. I just can’t give you much detail, unfortunately,” he said, hinting at needing to avoid tampering. “But yeah, I mean, it was noticed. It was noticed around the league. But what I hope, too, is that it is noticed by our fans and by our players that we’re serious.

    “The players did their part last year, and we’re trying to do ours, and we’re going to keep trying to improve the team to give them the best chance to just be a contender for years to come.”

    Players are choosing to stay in Philly, like Zegras, like goalie Dan Vladař, who inked a five-year extension and is here for six years, and like forward Tyson Foerster, who signed an extension that will keep him around for nine more seasons. The next step is having a team that is trending to be a contender for the Stanley Cup, and while the Flyers did not get Carlsson, there were “many teams to choose from, and he selected us, which was a good sign.”

    What’s next for the Flyers after missing out on Leo Carlsson?

    Did the massive AAV, which would have made Carlsson the highest-paid player annually, impact contract negotiations with Zegras and other restricted free agents? The Flyers still have to ink defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday, Hunter McDonald and forward Nikita Grebenkin.

    “No, I don’t believe it’s affected our other contract negotiations … The marketplace changes daily. There’s new deals being given or coming out on a daily basis,” he said, noting it may have impacted players who make above the high-end threshold.

    “I think, in Trevor’s case, for example, when we were working on it three months ago and six months ago, the marketplace was totally different than it was last night when we were talking. So, not necessarily the offer sheet, but every other deal, yes, they were affecting our negotiation.”

    Danny Brière said the team made some efforts to improve the power play but came up short in an outside acquisition. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    On not adding players for the power play

    The Flyers’ power play is bad. This isn’t a new phenomenon under coach Rick Tocchet. It’s a problem that has persisted for five years and across three coaching staffs. It sounded like the Flyers wanted to take action to fix things, but while they were reportedly interested in signing unrestricted free agent John Carlson, who ultimately went to Tampa Bay, and Zach Werenski, who backed down from his trade request, they did not get either player.

    “We took some swings there, too. I unfortunately can’t get into details because players are elsewhere, but we took some swings there,” the Flyers GM said. “We tried to improve the power play. We’re going to keep looking. At this point, most free agents are signed, so it’s more on the trade front. So if there’s a chance there, we’re going to look to improve that.

    “But I also expect our guys to take a bigger bite of it. Adding a guy like [Porter] Martone, and [Denver] Barkey, and [Alex] Bump late in the season, you hope that they’re better at it with more experience. I expect guys like Trevor Zegras to improve on that. Matvei Michkov coming back and, after a sophomore — let’s call it a slump — we expect him to bounce back and have a big say in improving our power play.”

  • Trevor Zegras agrees to a four-year contract extension to become the highest-paid Flyer

    Trevor Zegras agrees to a four-year contract extension to become the highest-paid Flyer

    It’s always been about timing for Trevor Zegras.

    The right time to become a Flyer. The right time to play center. And now it was the right time to lock him in.

    Late on Wednesday, the Flyers inked Zegras to a four-year, $36.5 million extension with an annual average value of $9.125 million. He will be an unrestricted free agent when the contract expires on July 1, 2030, and according to a league source, Years 3 and 4 come with a limited no-trade clause.

    “We’re thrilled to have Trevor committed to our organization for the next four years,” general manager Danny Brière said in the press release.

    “The growth he showed this past season, proving that he is the skilled player he entered the league as, reinforced our belief that he will be an impact player for the Flyers for the years to come. He’s the type of player who can help take our team to the next level, and we’re excited to continue building alongside him.”

    Some wanted to change Trevor Zegras. The Flyers let ‘Z be Z.’ Now, he’s got his ‘swagger back.’

    Zegras became a restricted free agent on July 1 and filed for salary arbitration on July 5, two days after the Flyers tendered a five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson that the Anaheim Ducks matched. The deal avoids an arbitration hearing that was scheduled for next Wednesday and gives him the highest AAV on the Flyers.

    “Personally, I would love that,” Zegras said of staying in Philly at his end-of-season media availability on May 12. “I would love to be here for a long time. … I love the fans. I love the group that we have, and that would be something I’m excited about.”

    Acquired last June, on the heels of two tough, injury-plagued seasons with the Anaheim Ducks, Zegras refound his love for the game in Philly. He posted career highs in goals (26), power-play goals (10), points (67), power-play points (23), and shooting percentage (15.6%) in 81 regular-season games, missing only the inconsequential last game of the season to rest for the playoffs.

    Best friends Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale have relished getting to play together again with the Flyers.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    After tallying six goals and 18 points during the Flyers’ post-Olympic push — trailing just Matvei Michkov and Noah Cates — he led the team in postseason scoring with six points (two goals, four assists) in 10 games. Zegras was one of several Flyers making their postseason debuts.

    But this season wasn’t just about his point total, even if it was higher than when he was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in his rookie year, or his sophomore season of 2022-23. It was about a former first-round pick, a big personality, and a once-rising star in the NHL, rediscovering his love of the game.

    “It was big,” he said when asked if it was reaffirming to him. “For me, having that excitement about the game was great. To find that passion for winning and success as a team was big. And I think I lost a little bit of that drive and passion to win and be a really good team, and we definitely had, in my opinion, a great, successful season.”

    For Trevor Zegras, the trade to the Flyers is not just a refresh, it is also a homecoming of sorts

    Part of that rejuvenation for the 25-year-old New York native came from his connection with his teammates, like his old friends, Jamie Drysdale, whom he played with in Anaheim, Cam York, his former teammate on the U.S. National Development Team and at World Juniors, and veteran Christian Dvorak, whom he met through Dvorak’s former Montreal Canadiens teammate Cole Caufield. And a lot of it came from his connection to coach Rick Tocchet, whom he affectionately nicknamed “Taco” in training camp.

    “Obviously, Tocc is a great guy, to begin with. … He’s a good guy to talk to,” Zegras said the day after he and Tocchet were spotted having a heated exchange in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes. “The one thing I have a ton of respect for is [that] he’ll get in your face and tell you stuff, but then he won’t ever like sit you down for shifts at a time.

    “He puts you right back on the ice. Whether or not it puts fire in you, or fuel, or is teaching you something, he always gives you that chance to go let you prove yourself the next shift, which I love.”

    Tocchet echoed the sentiment that day, after doing it all season long. He called him a “very coachable kid” after mentioning in training camp that he challenged him to approach the game not “for clicks on social media” but to win hockey games. “That’s what he wants,” Tocchet said, and it showed whether he played at center or wing.

    Trevor Zegras ranked second on the team last season, his first with the team, in points (67) and third in goals (26).Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    But that’s the million-dollar question heading into the 2026-27 season: Do the Flyers view Zegras as a center or a winger? The consensus around the league is that the AAV he received is typically doled out to a center. As noted, Tyson Foerster recently signed an eight-year contract extension with the Flyers for an AAV of $7.1 million.

    Zegras came to Philly excited for the opportunity to return to his natural center position after two years of being forced to the wing by former Ducks coach Greg Cronin. Management was hopeful he could be the answer for their No. 1 center spot, but for the majority of the season, he played on Dvorak’s wing.

    He officially shifted back to the middle after the trade deadline and put up 17 points in 20 games — 12 at even strength with a plus-six rating. The only issue is his face-offs, which sat at 34.1% overall in the regular season, 35.1% across the final 20 games, and 44% in the postseason.

    Flyers will start 2026-27 season at home against Penguins, play at Devils in opening week back-to-back

    “I liked playing in the middle down the stretch, just because there’s a little bit more space and you can kind of pick and choose where you want to go a little bit more,” he said.

    “I think playing center in the playoffs was a good experience for me, just in terms of how different it was, how hard battles are, and all that type of stuff. So that was good.”

    The Flyers still have three restricted free agents to sign in Drysdale, forward Nikita Grebenkin, and defenseman Hunter McDonald. Drysdale has a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday. Grebenkin was not eligible for salary arbitration, and McDonald did not file by the deadline.

  • Flyers will start 2026-27 season at home against Penguins, play at Devils in opening week back-to-back

    Flyers will start 2026-27 season at home against Penguins, play at Devils in opening week back-to-back

    Didn’t the Flyers’ season just end?

    It feels like it — the team played into May by making the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2020.

    Although they got swept by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, the Flyers will get a chance to start their 2026-27 season by picking up where they left off in the win column, with a rematch on Sept. 30 against their cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7:30 p.m., TNT).

    This season, the NHL schedule is 84 games, with two extra Metropolitan Division games added. The full schedule will be announced at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

    The last time the Flyers and Penguins met, defenseman Cam York threw his stick into the crowd after firing home the 1-0 overtime winner in Game 6 of the first round, sending the Penguins golfing.

    Noel Acciari (55) can now call Matvei Michkov (39) and the rest of the Flyers teammates. Gene J. Puskar

    Heading into the lid lifter, both teams will look different, notably with Noel Acciari switching sides from the Penguins to the Flyers. The forward leads a retooled fourth line after inking a two-year deal with an average annual value of $2.8 million. He is excited to be in orange and black now.

    “Just being a part of that Pennsylvania rivalry, I got to experience it on the other side, which was a lot of fun,” he said on July 7. “And just seeing how passionate the fans are, which is unbelievable, and to be able to experience it with their cheering for you this time, I’m so excited for [it]. And I’m glad to have them on my side now because they are very passionate, and they’re all up in your face.

    “It’s fun to play against, but at the same time, I’m happy I get to play on the same side.”

    What’s next for the Flyers after missing out on Leo Carlsson?

    This year will mark the eighth time the Flyers start the season at home against the Penguins (5-2-0); the overall record in home openers is 33-18-5-2. It is also the ninth time they are opening the season against Pittsburgh (4-3-1-0) with an overall record of 29-20-7-2 when kickstarting a season. The Flyers have faced the Penguins more than any other opponent in season and home openers.

    The following night, the Flyers will head up the turnpike to the Prudential Center for the New Jersey Devils’ home opener. The Flyers will also be in Ottawa for the Senators’ — and former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson’s — home opener on Oct. 8.

    This year’s NHL schedule also features the 2026 Heritage Classic on Oct. 25, with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the Montreal Canadiens; Carolina taking on the Seattle Kraken in Finland on Nov. 12-14; and Ottawa and the Chicago Blackhawks in Germany on Dec. 18-20.

    On New Year’s Eve, the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche will participate in the 2026 Winter Classic at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium.

    Rice-Eccles Stadium in Utah will host the Winter Classic. Jeffrey D. Allred

    And Feb. 5-6, the New York Islanders’ home of UBS Arena will host All-Star Weekend. On Feb. 5, 10 young stars, ages 25 or younger, will compete across eight events, and the following day will be the All-Star Game — with a twist. Five teams of 11 players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, the United States and a “World” team will compete in a three-on-three, round-robin exhibition tournament.

    Breakaways

    Lehigh Valley’s American Hockey League home opener is Oct. 3 against the Hartford Wolf Pack. … Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, who each filed for salary arbitration on July 5, have their hearings scheduled for next week, according to Puckpedia. Drysdale is scheduled for Monday and Zegras for Wednesday. Arbitration can be avoided with a contract between now and the morning of the hearing. … Former Flyers forward Rodrigo Ābols signed a three-year deal with SC Bern of the National League, the top men’s league in Switzerland. The Latvian made his NHL debut with the Flyers at the age of 29 on Jan. 21, 2025. Across 64 regular-season games with Philly, he had five goals, 15 points, and won 53.8% of his faceoffs while averaging a little over 10 minutes a game. He suffered a season-ending injury in January that forced him to also miss representing his country at the 2026 Winter Olympics. … Former Flyers goalie Ivan Fedotov returned to the Kontinental Hockey League, signing a two-year deal with Spartak Moscow.

  • What’s next for the Flyers after missing out on Leo Carlsson?

    What’s next for the Flyers after missing out on Leo Carlsson?

    The Flyers tried.

    In a world where the salary cap is rising, free agency is dwindling and trade partners want the world, the opportunity to get a top-line center who fits the Flyers’ timeline required a drastic step.

    The Flyers did that by tendering an offer sheet. It made sense, but on Thursday, the Anaheim Ducks matched the hefty five-year contract with an average annual value of $18 million that the Flyers had given to 21-year-old center Leo Carlsson.

    Sielski: Without Leo Carlsson, the Flyers’ hunt for their pot of gold just got harder and longer

    So what’s next for the Flyers? Let’s answer some questions.

    What is next for the Flyers?

    Flyers general manager Danny Brière and his staff took a home run swing and ended up striking out. But the fact that they swung for the fences in this scenario was a solid attempt and showed that the organization is willing to pony up and take a big risk to acquire talent.

    According to Puckpedia, the Flyers have a smidge above $29.5 million in cap space; however, as we have reported, that number includes center Jett Luchanko’s contract ($941,667), and Brière told The Inquirer in early June that the expectation is he will be in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League this upcoming season.

    Trevor Zegras is among the Flyers’ restricted free agents who need new contracts.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    Regardless of whether Luchanko is around, that is a lot of cap space. Philly does need to sign its four restricted free agents: forwards Trevor Zegras and Nikita Grebenkin, and defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Hunter McDonald. Grebenkin and, especially, McDonald, could start the 2026-27 season with the Phantoms, meaning their salaries would not count against the cap.

    Zegras and Drysdale’s new contracts should be around a combined $15 million AAV. Both players did file for salary arbitration — protecting them from getting an offer sheet — although the expectation is that it will not get that far.

    But those are things that the team has to get done. After Brière and Co. tried to upgrade their team, are they finished? From what we’re hearing, it sounds like there was always a Plan B.

    Who could the Flyers turn their attention to now?

    It feels like the Orange and Black have been in on everyone this summer, but thus far have only upgraded their backup goalie, with Joseph Woll, and their fourth line with Noel Acciari, and added a depth defenseman in Simon Benoît. Necessary adds, but it still feels like more is needed.

    So where does that come from?

    Noel Acciari is going from a hated Penguin to a (hopefully?) beloved Flyer. He said he’s excited to join a team on the rise.

    The unrestricted free-agent market does not have a 1C remaining — and never really did with everyone signing extensions. How about a top-four defenseman with power-play punch? There’s not really one of those on the market either, but names like John Klingberg, who has some power-play experience, Carson Soucy, and Logan Stanley could be interesting depth additions.

    But this is about the 1C spot that the Flyers have needed for years. There is always the offer sheet route again. Most would argue that’s not the best move considering how the hockey world functions and how it could burn bridges. But it is fair game, and there is still an intriguing name out there: Adam Fantilli.

    The Flyers could be setting their sights on the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Adam Fantilli (right) after failing to land Leo Carlsson.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline reported Monday that the 21-year-old center could be the Flyers’ next target. It doesn’t sound like the Flyers want to go the route of another $90 million contract, but he does fit their timeline and has upside that still needs to be drawn out. According to Puckpedia, the Columbus Blue Jackets have more than $23 million in cap space, and while they have to re-sign Cole Sillinger and Jet Greaves, it doesn’t sound like matching would be an issue for them.

    So that leaves the trade route. Mavrik Bourque and Mason McTavish have already been traded to the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues, respectively. Seattle Kraken forward Shane Wright continues to be a hot topic on social media as a possible solution to the Flyers’ need at center, along with teammate Matty Beniers. But the ask for Wright, a 22-year-old center, was reportedly high in June — the Flyers’ interest wasn’t high back then either — and there was also no indication that Beniers was available at that time.

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    Could the Flyers circle back on Shane Pinto or Dylan Cozens with the Ottawa Senators? Both are young centers with size and skill. Dylan Larkin was someone that the Flyers were reportedly interested in; however, the Detroit Red Wings center has a full no-move clause and wants to choose his next destination — MLive reported on Thursday that he added the Dallas Stars to the original list of the Minnesota Wild, Vegas Golden Knights, and Florida Panthers as teams he’d waive for a trade.

    If the Flyers do acquire a 1C or top-four defenseman, does long-rumored trade asset Rasmus Ristolainen finally get moved? He is a top-four defenseman, but at almost 32 years old, the thought is the Flyers are aiming for a younger defenseman who fits their timeline a little better.

    Could the answer then be an RFA defenseman who is not eligible for an offer sheet but sounds like he is on his way out of Carolina and could be available via trade? On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman suggested Alexander Nikishin, who played with Egor Zavragin in 2024-25 and briefly suited up with Matvei Michkov across two seasons for SKA St. Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League, was almost traded to the New York Rangers. He fits the Flyers’ timeline, can play on the power play, was plus-18, had a 58.39% Corsi For at five-on-five during the regular season, and has the valuable experience of winning a Stanley Cup.

    And are there other options that no one has seen coming? The general sense we’re getting is that the Flyers are still cooking.

    Trevor Zegras (left) and Noel Acciari (center) are now teammates and are among the current center options for the Flyers.Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    What does the lineup look like now without Leo Carlsson?

    The Flyers have six players who can play center: Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, Sean Couturier, Denver Barkey, Zegras, and Acciari.

    Barkey didn’t look bad down the middle when called upon in the postseason, but the expectation is he will play wing next season. Couturier shared the middle spot with current unrestricted free agent Luke Glendening toward the end of last season, and for all intents and purposes, that’s probably the case with Acciari.

    The biggest question mark: where does Zegras fit?

    Brière told The Inquirer on March 7 that the team “felt he’s been a little better on the wing this year.” An hour later, Zegras was centering a line, and he held that spot for pretty much the rest of the season and into the playoffs.

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    So do they see Zegras as the answer for the No. 1 center slot heading into the season? Time will tell how Rick Tocchet lays out his lines; however, there is another layer to this. If Zegras is a center, his asking price for his new contract just went up.

    But in the end, overall, where do the Flyers stand now? This is a team that is largely the same as last season, with a few small upgrades to the goaltending, the fourth line, and the defense. That is not the big splash everyone was hoping for.

    They will still be a young team, with Porter Martone as a centerpiece, while Michkov will be expected to have a better season, and another young player, David Jiříček, will be in the lineup on the blue line as he is no longer waiver-exempt.

    Brière suggested that “there’s a chance, and a good chance, that we take a little bit of a step back” in the upcoming season at his July 1 press conference. With Carlsson, that probably wasn’t happening. Without Carlsson, is that statement setting the tone?

  • Ducks match the Flyers’ offer sheet on Leo Carlsson, star center will remain in Anaheim

    Ducks match the Flyers’ offer sheet on Leo Carlsson, star center will remain in Anaheim

    The Flyers’ pre-Fourth of July fireworks have officially become a dud.

    On July 3, the team set off a bombshell when it tendered an offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. It came with a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $18 million. According to a league source, the deal was front-loaded with a heavy signing bonus — and signing bonuses every year of the deal. Carlsson would receive the league minimum in base salary every year, a deal Carlsson said was “too good to pass on.”

    “It was an offer that 99% of people would sign too,” Carlsson told reporters on Thursday. “It’s a pretty simple answer. I really wanted to be here though. I really wanted them to match. I want to be an Anaheim Duck.”

    That contract is now under control of the Anaheim Ducks, who matched the offer sheet on Thursday, a day before the 3 p.m. Friday deadline. The Ducks cannot trade Carlsson, who now has the highest AAV in the NHL, for one year.

    “Did we expect the offer sheet to be this high? No. We did not see that one coming,” Verbeek told reporters on Thursday. “But we’re very confident, with the cap going up and the ability of Leo to make strides of improvement and become an elite player, we feel confident this contract will be a good one in the end.”

    Did they leave enough cap space? The Ducks do have to re-sign restricted free agent Cutter Gauthier. But that is Anaheim’s problem now.

    Carlsson was the type of top-line center the Flyers have been longing for since Claude Giroux was traded to the Florida Panthers in March 2022. Giroux, who was rumored to be interested in a return to the Flyers, inked a one-year deal to stay with the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.

    The offer sheet was always a long shot, but for a Flyers team that hopes its days at the bottom of the standings are done, it was one of scarce options. Since 2010, only nine players have signed an offer sheet, and six were matched. Top-six centers Sebastian Aho and Ryan O’Reilly, and now Carlsson, are among the group to be retained by their original team. The Flyers now have to pivot elsewhere to find a potential top-line center solution this offseason.

    Could the Flyers take a swing at Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli?Nick Wass

    Aaron Portzline of The Athletic reported that Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli, the No. 3 overall pick in 2023, could be the Flyers’ next target. Since Columbus is in the division, he would be difficult to pry away via trade, but could be amenable to an offer sheet. Fantilli was not eligible for arbitration.

    Fantilli set career highs with 35 assists and 59 points in 2025-26. Across his 213 career games, Fantilli has 140 points (67 goals, 73 assists) but he hasn’t yet lived up to the high expectations of his record NCAA freshman season at Michigan, when he became just the third freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top player, after Jack Eichel and Paul Kariya. That might make him easier to pry away, but the team runs the risk of giving up four first round picks for a middle-six player.

    The Flyers are unlikely to make an attempt at the Chicago Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard, who is out for at least four months after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Blackhawks have nearly $30 million in cap space, per PuckPedia, and almost certainly would match any offer, assuming Bedard signed it.

    Had the Ducks not matched the Carlsson offer sheet, the Flyers would have sent their next four first-round picks to Anaheim in return.

    According to PuckPedia, the Flyers have a smidge over $29.5 million in cap space; however, that number includes center Jett Luchanko‘s contract ($941,667), and Flyers general manager Danny Brière told The Inquirer in early June that the expectation is he will be in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. They still need to re-sign restricted free agents Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, who filed for arbitration on Sunday.

  • Former Flyers captain Claude Giroux re-signs with Ottawa Senators, dashing reunion hopes

    Former Flyers captain Claude Giroux re-signs with Ottawa Senators, dashing reunion hopes

    After he had been around the world — well, Florida and Ottawa — it sounded like there was only one place left Claude Giroux wanted to go: back to Philadelphia.

    But after 1,571 days away and several false reports, the former Flyers captain is not returning to the City of Brotherly Love. He has signed a one-year contract to stay with the Ottawa Senators. According to the team, the deal carries a base salary of $2 million with bonuses that could reach a maximum value of $5 million.

    “I chose to come back because I want to be here. I’m excited to be an Ottawa Senator,” Giroux said in a news release. “Being around those guys for four years, we got really close. This team feels like a family. I just care for those players.”

    Giroux has been with Ottawa for four seasons after signing with the team in July 2022. Following the trade of captain Brady Tkachuk, it makes sense that the Senators kept the 38-year-old veteran to stabilize things.

    The announcement comes days after some misinformation online. Were the Flyers out on Giroux, like some reports said on Friday? That was inaccurate, a team source confirmed to The Inquirer.

    Was he signing with the Flyers, as other reports said on Friday? Also no, clearly.

    Claude Giroux wore the ‘C’ for the Flyers for 1,000 games. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer

    As reported on X (formerly Twitter) by The Inquirer, the word of Giroux’s imminent return was premature, as the Flyers’ attention was on the announcement that they had tendered an offer sheet to Leo Carlsson on Friday afternoon. That seemingly put everything on hold.

    In the end, Giroux opted to stay in Ontario.

    “Claude took his time to evaluate his options, and his decision to re-sign with us shows his belief and commitment to our group,” Ottawa general manager Steve Staios said. “He is the consummate professional and brings veteran experience to our core on and off the ice.”

    Although it would have been a welcome return for many fans, without a reunion, Giroux stays on the nice, round numbers of 900 points in 1,000 games with Philly. He is one of only two players, the other being Bobby Clarke, to play at least 1,000 games for the Orange and Black. Current Flyers captain Sean Couturier is 48 games away from joining them.

    This past season, Giroux had 14 goals and 49 points, including a power-play goal and 13 power-play points in 82 games. The expectation was that he could help a power play that, including his last season in Philly (2021-22), has been the NHL’s worst (14.1%). Across his first 14 seasons with the Flyers, the power play was ranked the fifth-best (20.3%).

    In March 2022, Giroux was traded to the Florida Panthers in a multiplayer swap. The Flyers acquired forward Owen Tippett, a 2023 third-round pick that became Denver Barkey, and a conditional first-round pick that was swapped with the Edmonton Oilers and then packaged to move up to get Jack Nesbitt in 2025.

    No one locally wanted to see Giroux depart. But it was time.

    One of the worst teams in the NHL, and a team that had not made the playoffs since the COVID-19 bubble of 2020, the Flyers had to change course.

    Claude Giroux was dealt to the Panthers in 2022, and was given a chance to win at a higher level than he could in Philly at the time. Carlos Osorio

    Giroux went to chase a Stanley Cup with the Panthers, which had 41 more points in the standings thanks to 23 more wins. They won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s top club but were ultimately swept in the second round by the two-time defending Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida would make the next three Finals, winning the last two, but Giroux was already back home in Ontario.

    The deal worked out for both sides. Giroux got a chance to win, and the Flyers picked up some valuable pieces. Nesbitt, a center, is heading to University of Michigan in the fall; Barkey has become a spark plug with an unstoppable motor; and Tippett is the speedy winger the Flyers need to keep defenses on their heels.

    A little more than a year after the trade, Chuck Fletcher was out as general manager, and Danny Brière was in. Many thought a Giroux deal would get done this summer since Giroux and Brière were teammates for several seasons, and Giroux had lived with Brière and his three sons during the 2010-11 season.

    The remaining players from Giroux’s tenure are forwards Couturier, Travis Konecny and Noah Cates, and defensemen Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Nick Seeler, and Cam York.

  • Noel Acciari is going from a hated Penguin to a (hopefully?) beloved Flyer. He said he’s excited to join a team on the rise.

    Noel Acciari is going from a hated Penguin to a (hopefully?) beloved Flyer. He said he’s excited to join a team on the rise.

    Noel Acciari has gotten a few text messages and calls since July 1.

    They came from friends, family, and a few other people, all saying the same thing: “You fit the Flyer mold.”

    That was why the Flyers targeted the unrestricted free agent who checked a lot of boxes, including “experience, playoff experience, the hardness, the fourth-line role, face-offs, the leadership,” according to general manager Danny Brière.

    The veteran forward inked a two-year deal that carries a $2.8 million average annual value. Acciari, 34, is now heading east on I-76 after spending three seasons in Pittsburgh.

    “Choosing Philly was an easy decision,” he said during a Zoom news conference on Tuesday. “Seeing how their momentum was after the break, and it’s a young team, to be able to do what they did was pretty special to watch and play against, and I just wanted to be a part of that.”

    The Flyers’ Trevor Zegras and then-Penguins forward Noel Acciari tangle during a game on Oct. 28, 2025. Elizabeth Robertson / Staff Photographer

    The forward was on the Penguins team that lost in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Flyers. Brière noted that it was difficult for the Flyers to play against Acciari, who brings a physical, defensive game with high-end prowess on the penalty kill, similar to what Garnet Hathaway did for three seasons before he was traded to the Florida Panthers right before the draft.

    Acciari is a natural center who has played a lot of wing, including in Pittsburgh. He combined with Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte to make up one of the league’s top fourth lines. This past season, he had 13 goals, 25 points, won 52% of his faceoffs, and had an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games.

    Leo Carlsson offer sheet: Answering the biggest questions about the Flyers’ strategic move

    He posted one assist in the six playoff games against Philly — Brière said it was because of the Flyers’ stingy defense — but dominated in the face-off circle, winning 61% of his draws.

    His prowess in the dot will help bolster a team that has not re-signed Luke Glendening, who won 57.2% of his faceoffs with the Flyers. Glendening, a late-season addition, was the team’s only right-handed centerman, and now Acciari holds that title. Across all 82 games last season, the Flyers collectively won only 49.5% of faceoffs; they improved against the Penguins in the playoffs but were worse against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.

    “If it’s not on a score sheet, I want to help out the team in any way possible, whether it’s blocking a shot, winning a faceoff, or throwing a big hit,” said Acciari. “All the little things that helped me throughout my career, and I’d love to bring [them] on over to Philly.”

    Noel Acciari (right) had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
    Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    A veteran of 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has amassed 81 goals and 144 points. One of the biggest draws for him was the Flyers’ locker room. He says he saw how tight the team is, the excitement they had, and how much fun they were having, and he wanted to be a part of it.

    He also knows a few Flyers. He played with Owen Tippett in Florida and Joseph Woll in Toronto and overlapped with Dan Vladař in the Boston organization. He also worked with Flyers assistant coach Todd Reirden in Pittsburgh.

    There’s also his interaction during the regular season with Trevor Zegras. The two were part of a melee that saw both players tossed after Acciari wasn’t too happy with the Flyers forward for knocking off his helmet. So while Acciari has spoken to the guys he knows, has he chatted yet with Zegras?

    “I have not talked to Trevor yet, but I bet that will come soon enough,” he said after grinning when Zegras’ name was brought up. “But, you know, it’s all water under the bridge. Have a good laugh at it now. He does what he needs to do on the ice to get under guys’ skin, and he does a good job, and he’s effective at it.”

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    He’s excited to now be on the same side as Zegras — and Philadelphia’s fans.

    “Just being a part of that Pennsylvania rivalry, I got to experience it on the other side, which was a lot of fun,” he said. “And just seeing how passionate the fans are, which is unbelievable, and to be able to experience it with their cheering for you this time. I’m so excited for, and I’m glad to have them on my side now because they are very passionate, and they’re all up in your face.

    “It’s fun to play against, but at the same time, I’m happy I get to play on the same side.”

  • Leo Carlsson offer sheet: Answering the biggest questions about the Flyers’ strategic move

    Leo Carlsson offer sheet: Answering the biggest questions about the Flyers’ strategic move

    Picture it.

    It’s a little past 3 p.m. on the Friday before the Fourth of July. The Flyers’ development camp had wrapped up a few hours ago, and all that seemed to be on the agenda were new contracts for their four restricted free agents, including Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale.

    Then the notifications went off. The text messages. The emails.

    Six words sent the hockey world afire: “We have tendered an offer sheet.”

    Here’s everything you need to know about the Flyers’ efforts to obtain Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson.

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    What is the offer sheet the Flyers tendered to Carlsson?

    An offer sheet is tendered to a player on another team who is a restricted free agent and who was provided a qualifying offer. In this case, the Ducks, who own Carlsson’s rights, had until July 1, the start of free agency, to negotiate an exclusive contract without worry of an offer sheet.

    The Flyers’ offer is a five-year contract worth an average annual value of $18 million. According to a league source, it is front-loaded with a heavy signing bonus — and signing bonuses every ensuing year of the deal. Carlsson would receive the league minimum in base salary every year.

    According to PuckPedia, the final year has a no-movement clause.

    Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek must consider the team’s next move on Leo Carlsson. Ashley Landis

    The announcement means that Carlsson, 21, has accepted the offer. It would make him the highest-paid player in AAV in the NHL and would walk him directly to unrestricted free agency.

    It all comes just two days after Flyers general manager Danny Brière made some interesting comments on the first day of free agency, like stating that if the organization has an opportunity to make the roster better, “we’ll jump on it,” and “There’s a chance, and a good chance, that we take a little bit of a step back this year.”

    Was that a tell with the first part and a sleight of hand on the second as the Flyers try to get the first-line center they’ve been craving for years?

    What is the next step for the Ducks?

    According to the collective bargaining agreement, the Ducks have seven days to match the offer, which means they have until 3 p.m. Friday.

    If they match, the Ducks must meet the structure of the contract and pay Carlsson the signing bonuses — something Anaheim rarely doles out — along with taking on the $18 million salary cap hit.

    It could come down to the final day, and it should be noted that the Utah Mammoth are weighing a similar decision after the New Jersey Devils tendered an offer sheet to Barrett Hayton. That offer sheet is for one year, $4.775 million, and Utah must decide by Wednesday.

    The interesting part is that Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that he had heard “over the past few hours Anaheim guaranteed it will match any attempt on Leo Carlsson.” The clock is ticking.

    The two teams could still work out a side trade for Carlsson to preempt Anaheim’s decision to match, but if the Ducks match, they would be unable to trade him for one year.

    What compensation would the Ducks receive from the Flyers?

    If the Ducks do not match the offer sheet, they will receive four first-round picks in the next four drafts from the Flyers. The compensation is based on the amount of the offer, and because it is over $11,939,166.

    Since Philly has all its own picks moving forward — it is not permitted to use the first-rounder it is receiving from the Toronto Maple Leafs as compensation here — the Ducks would receive the Flyers’ first-round picks in 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030. Had the Flyers already traded one of their picks in the next four drafts, they would have been required to provide the 2031 first-rounder for the missing year.

    The Flyers are one of 28 teams that still have four picks in the next five years to tender an offer sheet. Having just made the postseason for the first time since 2020, the hope is that the four picks the Flyers would give to Anaheim would be in the 20s or worse, and not a lottery pick. The Flyers’ expectation is that it would not be a player as highly valued as Carlsson, who is a first-line center.

    How does the Carlsson offer sheet impact the Flyers and Ducks?

    If the Ducks match

    According to PuckPedia, the Flyers would have a smidge over $29.5 million in cap space; however, that number includes center Jett Luchanko‘s contract ($941,667), and Brière told The Inquirer in early June that the expectation is he will be in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. They do have to re-sign restricted free agents Drysdale, Zegras, Nikita Grebenkin, and Hunter McDonald, who is expected to be in the minors.

    The Ducks would then be the ones saddled with an $18 million AAV. The problem? As of Monday night, they have just under $10 million in cap space after signing Pavel Mintyukov to a five-year deal with an AAV of $7.2 million. They still have to sign restricted free agent forward and ex-Flyers draft pick Cutter Gauthier, who scored 41 goals this past season, and defenseman Tyson Hinds. Anaheim could try to move out some players like Chris Kreider, Frank Vatrano, and Alex Killorn; however, they all have modified no-trade clauses, so trade partners are limited. Troy Terry could also be placed on long-term injured reserve, but that would impact the Ducks’ salary cap at the deadline and next season.

    Fitting Leo Carlsson’s salary into the roster could mean trade talks for Rasmus Ristolainen escalate. Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    If the Ducks do not match

    The Flyers would be the ones saddled with an $18 million AAV and would have a little over $12.5 million in cap space — with Luchanko being sent down — to sign Zegras and Drysdale to NHL contracts. Grebenkin could land in the minors to start, along with McDonald, so those contracts would not impact the cap space. Zegras and Drysdale’s new deals are expected to combine for in the neighborhood of $15 million, so if the Flyers do land Carlsson, they would likely have to move out a contract or two. Does Rasmus Ristolainen finally get moved, or does a forward get moved to help stabilize things up front?

    The Ducks would probably still have to move out a contract to sign Gauthier, who will likely ask for more than $10 million.

    What would Carlsson bring to the Flyers?

    Although some would argue the amount is an overpayment, Carlsson is a 6-foot-3, 208-pound dynamic center coming off a breakout season in which he had 29 goals and 67 points in 70 games. He missed time after sustaining a Morel-Lavallée lesion in his left thigh in mid-January but returned after the Olympic break and scored 11 goals and 23 points in 26 games. According to Physiopedia, a Morel-Lavallée lesion is “due to shearing forces which separate the skin and subcutaneous tissue from the deep fascia.”

    The 21-year-old ex-teammate of Zegras and Drysdale has size, speed, playmaking ability, and a lethal shot. Selected second overall in the 2023 NHL draft, Carlsson had four goals and 11 points in 12 playoff games last season, his first postseason experience. Across 201 career games, he has 141 points (61 goals and 80 assists) with a 14.7 shooting percentage, and he should be able to help the Flyers’ dismal power play after scoring four goals and 18 points last season with the man advantage. He would have tied Matvei Michkov for second in power-play goals, and the 18 points would have been the second-most on the Flyers behind Zegras.

    Carlsson is a No. 1 center with tremendous upside given his young age. The Flyers have needed a top-line pivot since trading Claude Giroux, who, despite some rumblings of a reunion, appears to be staying in Ottawa with the Senators. Carlsson would fit in quite nicely with right winger Porter Martone on the top line, and then, more than likely, speedster Owen Tippett on the left.

    Did Carlsson’s offer sheet impact Zegras’ and Drysdale’s negotiations?

    The long and short of it all is … kinda.

    Obviously, Zegras and Drysdale have not signed their new contracts yet, and it feels like everything is on hold until the decision about Carlsson is made. As mentioned, they are expected to combine for a figure in the neighborhood of $15 million, and there is still the question of whether Zegras will be paid like a winger or a center; typically, centers get paid more.

    Both players filed for salary arbitration on Sunday, which means they cannot be tendered an offer sheet and “stolen” away from the Flyers.

    Hearings are scheduled to run from July 20 to Aug. 1, and until they begin, the team and player can still negotiate a deal. If it does go to the arbitrator, they can award only a one- or two-year contract. Because it was a player’s choice, the Flyers will select the term length, and if Philly selects a two-year contract, the player will walk to unrestricted free agency. If it is for one year, the player would be a restricted free agent next summer.

    Could Adam Fantilli be a Plan B for the Flyers?Sue Ogrocki

    What is Plan B if the Ducks match?

    Finding a true No. 1 center has long been the Flyers’ goal, so what happens if they do not get Carlsson? According to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, there have been rumblings that the Flyers could pivot to Adam Fantilli of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

    Fantilli, 21, is a restricted free agent center, so they could try either another offer sheet or a trade. The Canadian center just registered career highs in assists (35), points (59), power-play goals (four), power-play points (13), average time on ice (18 minutes, 54 seconds), and face-off winning percentage (49.8%). Across his 213 career games, Fantilli has 140 points (67 goals, 73 assists).

  • Flyers’ Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are among 15 players who have filed for salary arbitration

    Flyers’ Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are among 15 players who have filed for salary arbitration

    As the Flyers await word on whether the Anaheim Ducks will match the offer sheet they tendered to center Leo Carlsson, two of the organization’s four restricted free agents filed for salary arbitration.

    On Sunday, Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras opted for salary arbitration and, therefore, cannot be tendered an offer sheet by another NHL team.

    The hearings are scheduled between July 20 and Aug. 1, and the team and player can still negotiate a deal until the hearing begins. If it does go to the arbitrator, they can only award a one- or two-year contract. Because it was a player’s choice, the Flyers will select the term length. If the Flyers select a two-year contract, the player would walk to unrestricted free agency, but if it is for one year, the player would be a restricted free agent next summer.

    Zegras said he felt like he “had lost a little bit of that drive and passion to win” in Anaheim and felt rejuvenated this past year. He did have a career year, notching highs in goals (26), points (67), power-play goals (10), and power-play points (23) across 81 games. The New York native spent time on the wing and at center this season. How he is viewed, whether as a winger or a center by either side, impacts contract negotiations because, typically, centers are paid more.

    Flyers center Trevor Zegras scored 26 goals during the 2025-26 season.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

    At his end-of-season availability, Drysdale said the biggest step he took this year was “just coming to the rink and believing that I was a good player and could make an impact.” The blueliner played in 78 games, his highest total since he played 81 in 2021-22, had a career-high in goals (eight), and tied his career-high in points (32).

    Both got their first taste of the postseason, with Drysdale scoring two goals and four points, and Zegras adding four goals and six points in 10 games apiece.

    Defenseman Hunter McDonald is a restricted free agent and did not elect salary arbitration by the 5 p.m. deadline. Forward Nikita Grebenkin, the final RFA for the Flyers, was not eligible.

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    Zegras and Drysdale are two of 15 players to elect salary arbitration. The others are forwards Xavier Bourgault (Ottawa Senators), Kirby Dach (Montreal Canadiens), Alex Jefferies (New York Islanders), Peyton Krebs (Buffalo Sabres), Connor McMichael (St. Louis Blues), Cole Perfetti (Winnipeg Jets), Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars), Nick Robertson (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Cole Sillinger (Columbus Blue Jackets); goalies Jet Greaves (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Akira Schmid (Florida Panthers); and defensemen Braden Schneider (New York Rangers) and Ronan Seeley (Carolina Hurricanes).

    On Friday, the Flyers sent shockwaves through the hockey world by tendering a five-year offer sheet with an average annual value of $18 million to Carlsson, which would make him the highest-paid player in terms of AAV in the NHL.

    Flyers see their Stanley Cup window open as they offer Leo Carlsson the richest salary in NHL history

    According to a league source, it is front-loaded with heavy signing bonuses.

    GM Pat Verbeek and the Ducks have seven days to match the offer. If they don’t, according to the team’s press release, the Flyers would have to transfer their own first-round draft pick in each of the next four seasons as compensation. However, according to PuckPedia, it is four in the next five years.