Flyers add veterans Staal, Hathaway to complement young core

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2023-24 regular season, which starts Oct. 10. Today, the Philadelphia Flyers:

2022-23 season: 31-38-13, seventh in Metropolitan Division; did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

#

Key arrivals

Marc Staal, D:The 36-year-old signed a one-year contract July 3 after he had 15 points (three goals, 12 assists) in 82 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers last season. He also averaged 20:56 of ice time in 21 Stanley Cup Playoff games, helping the Panthers advance to the Stanley Cup Final. ... Garnet Hathaway, F:The 31-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1 after he had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 84 games last season, including six points (four goals, two assists) in 25 games after he was acquired by the Boston Bruins in a trade with the Washington Capitals on Feb. 23. He also had one assist in seven playoff games. ... Sean Walker, D:The 28-year-old was acquired as part of a three-team trade with the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets on June 6. He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 70 regular-season games, and no points in two playoffs games for the Kings last season. ... Cal Petersen, G: The 28-year-old was acquired in the same trade as Walker. He was 5-3-2 with a 3.75 goals-against average and .868 save percentage in 10 games (nine starts) for Los Angeles last season. … Ryan Poehling, F: The 24-year-old signed a one-year contract July 1. He had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 53 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season.

Key departures

Ivan Provorov, D:Traded to the Blue Jackets as part of the three-team deal with the Kings on June 6. Provorov had 27 points (six goals, 21 assists) in 82 games last season. ... Kevin Hayes, F: Traded to the St. Louis Blues on June 27. Hayes had 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in 81 games and played in the NHL All-Star Game for the first time last season. ... James van Riemsdyk, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins on July 1 after he had 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 61 games last season. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, D: Had the final season of his two-year contract bought out July 15. DeAngelo had 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in 70 games last season, his first in Philadelphia. He signed a one-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 24. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, D:The 36-year-old announced his retirement from the NHL on April 24 before signing with Straubing of Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the top professional league in Germany, on June 27. He had two assists in 51 games last season. ... Brendan Lemieux, F:Signed a one-year contract with the Hurricanes on July 11. Lemieux had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 45 games last season, including six points (two goals, four assists) in 18 games after being acquired by Philadelphia in a trade with Los Angeles on March 3. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, F: Currently an unrestricted free agent, Bellows scored three goals in 27 games with the Flyers after being claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders on Oct. 27.

On the cusp

Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, F:The 21-year-old made his NHL debut March 9 and had seven points (three goals, four assists) in eight games before being returned to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. He led Lehigh Valley with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 66 games and is expected to push for a top-six role this season. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, D:The 21-year-old had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 51 games with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League, and six points (two goals, four assists) in 10 games with Lehigh Valley. Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong compared him to former Flyers defenseman Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, F: The 21-year-old led Lehigh Valley with 23 goals in 65 games last season. Desnoyers also made his NHL debut Feb. 25 and had no points in four NHL games. ... Video: Flyers' ink Cam York and Noah Cates to extensions, D:The 23-year-old had four assists in 14 NHL games and 19 points (one goal, 18 assists) in 44 AHL games last season.

What they still need

The return of forwards Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson to the lineup could go a long way toward speeding up the rebuild. Couturier has had two surgeries on his back since he last played on Dec. 18, 2021, and Atkinson missed last season after having surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck Dec. 21. However, Couturier, who won the Selke Trophy as the League's best defensive forward in 2019-20 and is a two-time 30-goal scorer, has been doing his normal training program this offseason, and Atkinson, who scored 41 goals in 2018-19, was cleared for training in early May. The expectation is each will be in the lineup on opening night.

They said it

"[Coach John Tortorella] is going to ask probably a little bit more of his team. He's going to ask for a little push. He's going to expect to see some of the players take the next step. He's probably going to expect some of the guys to show a little bit more leadership." -- general manager Daniel Briere

Fantasy focus

Foerster is a player to keep an eye on following an impressive trial with the Flyers late last season. He also led Lehigh Valley of the AHL with 48 points (20 goals, 28 assists) in 66 games and is a potential dark horse for the Calder Trophy this season. -- Anna Dua

#

Projected lineup

Scott Laughton -- Sean Couturier -- Travis Konecny

Joel Farabee -- Morgan Frost -- Owen Tippett

Cam Atkinson -- Noah Cates -- Tyson Foerster

Nicolas Deslauriers -- Ryan Poehling -- Garnet Hathaway

Cam York -- Marc Staal

Travis Sanheim -- Rasmus Ristolainen

Nick Seeler -- Sean Walker

Carter Hart

Samuel Ersson