Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere has made it clear he wants another high-end player on the roster. The club has been aggressive in recent months as it tries to climb the standings.
Briere shocked the league when he sent a massive offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. The deal was a five-year, $90 million contract with an $18 million average annual value. The Ducks matched it and kept their young star.
That pursuit did not work out, but Briere has kept hunting for talent. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz recently was asked about Philadelphia’s chances of landing several big names, including Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Dylan Larkin and Quinn Hughes.
Kurz believes Hughes stands out as the most realistic target among that group.
“In the short term, I would absolutely pay attention to what’s happening with Quinn Hughes, who still doesn’t have a contract extension in place in Minnesota and who might prefer to continue his career on the East Coast,” Kurz wrote.
Hughes already has a connection to the Flyers through head coach Rick Tocchet. The two worked together when Hughes played for the Vancouver Canucks.
The defenseman is also close friends with Flyers forward Trevor Zegras. They train together in the summer and spend time golfing.
Zegras just signed a four-year extension worth $9.1 million per season to stay in Philadelphia. That deal gives the Flyers some stability up front while they look at other upgrades.
Any chance of landing Hughes starts with his talks in Minnesota. He is heading into the last year of a six-year, $47.1 million contract that pays him $7.85 million annually.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recently signed an eight-year, $163.2 million extension with a $20.4 million average annual value. Some around the league think that deal could set the market for Hughes.
Wild general manager Bill Guerin has said he is “confident” Hughes will ultimately sign an extension in Minnesota. Still, nothing has been finalized as training camp approaches.
The Flyers look well-positioned if a trade becomes possible. They have nearly $14 million in projected cap space with a full roster. Only four other teams have more room to work with right now.
Minnesota, by contrast, has just $1.1 million in cap space at the moment. That tight situation could force the Wild to consider moving Hughes if talks stall.
The Athletic’s Corey Pronman recently ranked Philadelphia’s prospect pool 11th in the NHL. Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov topped his list of Flyers prospects.
Martone is expected to stay put, but questions have come up about Michkov’s future after a disappointing playoff run. The Flyers also control four first-round draft picks over the next three years, giving them assets to offer.
If Hughes becomes available, several teams will likely be in the mix. The New Jersey Devils are expected to be among them because Hughes’ brothers, Jack and Luke, already play there.
