WASHINGTON -- The Philadelphia Flyers could be buyers and sellers ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on March 8.
With the Flyers (32-23-7) in third place in the Metropolitan Division and in position to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020, general manager Daniel Briere said Friday that they could make a depth trade to help bolster the lineup for the postseason push as long it doesn’t interfere with their rebuilding plan.
“Everything’s on the table,” Briere said during the Flyers’ 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena. “We're not going to do a rental for high-end assets for the future. We're protecting those. We realize where we're at. It's not just about this year. It's about protecting the future, as well. If it's a hockey trade, that's a possibility.
“If we feel it makes us better, yeah, there's a possibility where we trade and we may also get some return where maybe the cost is not as high as the return on the trade.”
Philadelphia is still evaluating the market for defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler, who each can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. While talking to other teams about Walker, 29, and Seeler, 30, Briere has also been talking to their agents about potential contract extensions.
“The talks are good,” Briere said. “We're getting a sense of where they're looking to be, or we have a better sense today of where they're looking to be. We're also evaluating on the other side the returns that are possible and trying to, after that, put it all together and decide what's best once we know the interest from other teams. So, there's all kinds of things to consider. But we're trying to get it all together.”
Briere acknowledged that defenseman Chris Tanev coming off the market after being traded from the Calgary Flames to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday has brought more interest from other teams in the Flyers defensemen. But he said the return for Tanev -- defenseman prospect Artem Grushnikov, the Stars' second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a conditional third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft -- not including a first-round pick hasn’t impacted what he wants in return for Walker and Seeler.
“It doesn't change our asking price,” Briere said. “Yeah, [the return] was maybe a little lighter than expected, but it doesn't change our approach. If teams are not willing to meet our price, and what we feel is fair, we're a playoff team. We get to keep them, and we get to make a run. That's the way I see it.”
One area the Flyers are seeking to upgrade is goaltending. Rookie Samuel Ersson (17-12-4, 2.62 goals-against average, .897 save percentage, and three shutouts) has played well, but the 24-year-old might benefit from having an experienced goalie to support him.
Philadelphia put goalie Cal Petersen through waivers and assigned him to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Thursday after the 29-year-old allowed seven goals on 32 shots in a 7-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. Felix Sandstrom was called up Thursday to serve as Ersson’s backup but has limited experience with a 4-16-4 record, 3.55 GAA and .888 save percentage in 26 NHL games over the past two seasons.
“We're excited about the way Sam Ersson has played,” Briere said. “We'll see. Felix will have the chance to play a few games. But we're certainly looking at all options, and if there's something that makes sense, yeah, we might jump on something.”
Though the Flyers are focused on rebuilding with younger players, they have surprised many by being in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Philadelphia leads the New York Islanders by five points and Washington by six points for third place in the Metropolitan Division. Balancing between the Flyers’ long-term rebuilding plan and battling to secure a playoff spot has made this trade deadline more complicated.
“I'd have to say it's a good problem to have because if the team doesn't play the way they have, we're not getting the attention from other teams about our players,” Briere said. “It's a great problem to have, so I'm not going to complain about that. I also think that the experience that our young guys are going to acquire from being in this position coming down the stretch [will help]. We were hoping that we'd be in a position where we'd play meaningful games after the deadline.
“Now, we're inside the eight in our conference, inside that bubble for the playoffs. And that, too, is something different.”
And that also is a good thing for the Flyers’ future -- and present.
“It's super exciting on our side that we're inside the bubble, we're in a playoff position and we have to consider that, too, when it comes to trades,” Briere said. “With our guys, too, having the chance to make the playoffs and acquire the experience, that's something else to consider also if we have the chance to make the playoffs and all the experience that we could acquire moving forward.”
Philadelphia could get some help at forward with Travis Konecny potentially returning as soon as Monday against the St. Louis Blues after missing the past five games with an upper-body injury.
"We're hopeful that after the weekend, he might be back in the lineup,” Briere said. “I don't have an exact day. I think there's maybe an outside chance for Monday, maybe more realistically Thursday (against the Florida Panthers) is what we're looking like at the moment.”
Briere said defenseman Jamie Drysdale is still being evaluated for an upper-body injury he sustained against Pittsburgh last Sunday.
“He's getting some tests done,” Briere said. “We said we'd take two weeks to give him a chance to let the injury kind of settle a little bit and we'll reevaluate. He is getting some strength back, but it's too early to tell if it's going to be way longer or if there's a chance in a few weeks he might play. That's what we're hoping for.”
Briere said defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, who has missed the past nine games with an upper-body injury, is in a similar situation.
“There's still a chance that both these guys can come back, but there's also a chance that they might not,” Briere said. “That's kind of where we're at.”
