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When all was said and done, the Flyers were unable to offer the Vancouver Canucks an equivalent or superior trade to the one the Minnesota Wild made to land Quinn Hughes. Put another way, Philly could not have done so without including either Matvei Michkov or Porter Martone in the deal. Philly has also reportedly made Tyson Foerster virtually untouchable in trades.
Let’s forget the signability question for a moment. That’s the Wild’s issue to deal with whether Hughes will commit to a long-term extension or walk (quite possibly to the New Jersey Devils) come July 1, 2027. Let’s focus instead on the trade package itself.
1.Could the Flyers have equaled or topped the Marco Rossi component? Vancouver preferred an NHL roster center to a winger. We could debate whether Trevor Zegras is ultimately better off at center or wing. Let’s say that he’s a winger for the long haul. What comparable age (or younger) center do the Flyers have of equal or greater proven value to Rossi? None. Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt are decent prospects but neither is immediately NHL-ready.
2. Did the Flyers have an offensive defenseman comparable to Zeev Buium? No. Jamie Drysdale has greatly improved his defensive game — something Buium MUST do, too, because he has defensive issues as a youngster — but his offensive game has never matched his draft position. In trading an elite offensive D in Hughes, the Canucks recouped a lot of upside. Could Oliver Bonk prove over time to be more well-rounded than Buium? That’s possible. Will he be superior strictly from an offensive standpoint? Probably not.
3. Could the Flyers have topped the Liam Ohgren component? The knee-jerk answer to his question is yes. The 2022 first-round pick has high upside overall and offensively. So far, though, he’s had the usual growing pains in the North America pro game. He should ultimate be fine. However, the Flyers (and other teams) had competitive pieces to offer here. They aren’t exact comparables, but prospects such as Alex Bump and Denver Barkey are well-regarded by scouts league-wide.
4. First-round Draft asset. The Flyers had this to offer. The Buium and Rossi components were the clinchers.
Were the Flyers ready for a Hughes blockbuster?
Editor’s Note: Anthony Mingioni wrote the remainder of the article hours before Vancouver traded Quinn Hughes to Minnesota.
The Philadelphia Flyers are in the midst of a good start in their first season under head coach Rick Tocchet.
They have been highly competitive against some of the best teams in the National Hockey League. Their toe to toe battle with the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday night is the latest evidence of that.
Chiefly, as they approach their 30th game of the season, they find themselves in a playoff spot as the first Eastern Conference wildcard. They have made steady progress in their stated goal of making the postseason this season.
And of course, they have been reported as hunting for additions to improve the talent level at the center and defenseman positions.
So it’s understandable, considering their head coach’s connection to his previous employers, that conversations about a potential sell-off of players piques interest. Especially if one of those players is Quinn Hughes, one of the best defensemen in the NHL not named Cale Makar.
However, don’t put a high probability on the Flyers acquiring him.
Due diligence is required when you’re talking about a 26-year-old Norris Trophy winner’s potential availability. Hughes slots in perfectly in one of their primary areas of a need: a bonafide number one defenseman who affects the game positively whenever his team has puck possession.
However, there are a number of key hurdles to overcome, even if they actually do bring him on board.
Heavy Competition For Hughes
There’s a very good reason 85 miles north of Philadelphia why the Flyers have interest in Hughes. The New Jersey Devils have been front and center in all reports involving the Canucks captain for good reason: his brothers (center Jack Hughes and defenseman Luke Hughes) are there.
While there does seem to be an air of inevitability about it, it’s not necessarily a situation that the Devils can sit back and wait until June 2027. Canucks president Jim Rutherford presented it as such in April, though couched from an acquisition perspective.
“He’s said before he wants to play with his brothers, and that would be partly out of our control — in our control if we brought his brothers here,” Rutherford said. “So, there’s many moving parts.”
Many moving parts is an understatement when it comes to what it might cost to bring Hughes to another team. The question from the Flyers’ perspective is whether they have the parts to match the Canucks’ needs? In trading for a player of Hughes’ caliber: centers and defensemen are at the middle of that discussion.
The Detroit Red Wings have those and have been hovering around the periphery of a playoff spot since Steve Yzerman took over as general manager. Much like the Flyers, Detroit has undergone a slow, methodical rebuild with some excellent prospects.
Additionally, there are other teams out there, but what are they willing to risk acquiring him this season? A big question is whether he can be enticed to stay before his contract ends. There’s little question that there’s major risk in giving up substantial assets with no guarantee of commitment.
Perhaps a team close to contending for a Stanley Cup other than the Devils could “gulp” deep and do it, such as the Washington Capitals or the Carolina Hurricanes?
How Much Is Too Much?
Much of the talk surrounding the Flyers and Hughes has been: what is their acquisition “pain threshold”?
If one looks at Rutherford’s trade history, he tends to prefer either NHL- or close to NHL-level talent versus draft picks. But there is a fundamental duty to set up Vancouver for a future without Hughes, a former seventh overall pick.
Firstly, the Flyers possess three first round picks in the next two drafts. They have their own in 2026 and 2027, along with Toronto’s pick from the Scott Laughton trade. Any conversation starts with at least one to two of those picks.
However, the pain threshold increases from there.
Of the NHL forwards, it’s likely Owen Tippett. The organization really, really does not want to trade Tyson Foerster. Could they be convinced? Maybe.
However, if it’s defense Rutherford’s after, it could be Cam York or Jamie Drysdale. York offers a good all zones blend with cap cost certainty (five years at $5.1 million AAV). The fact that Andrae has featured in the Flyers top four and has impressed puts him in the conversation.
However, if you’re Rutherford, one of the first points of conversation will likely involve Porter Martone, Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, or Jack Nesbitt. Martone seems closest of that group to untouchable, especially if Tippett (or Foerster) are included in a deal.
What about Matvei Michkov? The short answer: No. If it were one-for-one, the Flyers might do it if they believe they can sign Hughes for the long term. But as part of a package deal? Not happening.
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere has spent a lot of draft capital rebuilding the Flyers prospect base. While there’s willingness to take opportunities to improve, they have to be somewhat leery of a bidding war. Especially when their organizational depth stockpiles is short of centers.
In short, the cost for a team at a point where the Flyers are could be detrimental long-term.
Is It Really The Right Time?
Considering where the Flyers are in their current cycle, it’s understandable to look at the current roster construction, there’s reasons to be optimistic. They are particularly deep in talent on their wings, especially following the acquisition of Trevor Zegras. That strength is something that can be leveraged for immediate competitive success.
However, even with Christian Dvorak’s offensive output, the center position is lacking in depth, speed, and dynamic play. If there’s a chance to add that in trade, it has the potential to cost almost as much as Hughes. Which is one of the reasons why developing your own center through the draft is the most cost efficient way to do so.
On defense, the Flyers actually have some promise with York, Andrae, Travis Sanheim, and Jamie Drysdale. However, only Sanheim is close to being a top pairing defender on a championship contender.
Acquiring Hughes would immediately make the Flyers defense one of the Eastern Conference’s best, even if York was included in trade. But the excitement of getting him fades if the team takes two steps back in other areas.
The Flyers used the “Brick By Brick” slogan as their 2025-26 season theme, signalling patience in their team building. Getting a Quinn Hughes would qualify as a Gold Brick, but if the foundation of the house becomes weakened, those bricks could come tumbling down.
