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One of the Philadelphia Flyers‘ key offseason priorities is to find a way to improve their center depth. More specifically to find a pivot who can be as much of an offensive threat as their wingers.
Therefore, there’s little surprise to hear that the Flyers have interest in Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin. The 30 year old forward requested a trade on Thursday. The news sent major ripples into a summer market that seemed barren in free agency.
General manager Daniel Briere is uniquely positioned to be a factor with plenty of salary cap space and draft picks that could be included in any potential trade discussions.
With a starved talent market, Larkin stands out as a top line center who could adjust the fortunes for a number of contending teams.
Larkin Ticks Alot of Flyers Offseason Boxes
While the Flyers have specifically targeted younger players to grow with their rebuild, they have struggled in finding scoring line centers. It’s one of the reasons they sprung to acquire Christian Dvorak last offseason.
Briere got ahead of the summer market by re-signing Dvorak to a five year contract during the season.
However, while Dvorak had the best statistical season of his NHL career, he projects long term as a high level third line center. But the minute the Flyers play an upper echelon team like the Carolina Hurricanes, their lack of high level talent down the middle is exposed.
While it can debated whether Larkin is an elite level talent, he would be a bonafide top line center for the Flyers. There’s specific attributes that make him particularly attractive for them. He is a bonafide goal scorer, as he has topped the 30 goal plateau six times in his 11 year career (including last season). He has also been a power-play mainstay for the Red Wings.
Physically, Larkin has a rock solid 6 foot 1, 204lb frame and possesses an elite level skating burst. With the exception of Owen Tippett and Trevor Zegras, he would easily be one of the Flyers fastest forwards. He’s a strong defensive player as well.
It’s a fascinating quirk of his career that he’s played in more Olympic game (six) than Stanley Cup Playoff games (five).
Additionally, a Larkin acquisition would be a cost-controlled addition in a rising salary cap world. He recently completed the third year of an eight year $69.6 million contract. The Flyers could easily absorb his $8.7 million cap hit.
Slotting Larkin on a line with a Tippett, Porter Martone, Travis Konency, Matvei Michkov, or Tyson Foerster and the Flyers become far more formidable offensively.
Why Larkin Might Not Be In The Cards
The Flyers current timeframe of contention still remains in it’s nascent stage, even with their playoff appearance. And if you’re a team with a relatively young and inexperience roster, that could be something that works against them in wooing Larkin. However, making a move for him would run outside of Briere’s acquisition patterns in adding younger players with areas to fix in their game. Larkin would come as a fully assembled product and as a result will cost the Flyers general manager far more.
At age 30 and armed with a no-trade clause, Larkin has the ability to direct where he can go in any kind of trade. In his circumstance, it’s been a full decade since he’s played in the Stanley Cup playoffs and there’s little question that the “legacy” clock is ticking for him. Even with the Flyers postseason run, does he view the Flyers as a potential destination to accomplish a championship run with.
Another major concern is Larkin’s trade cost. You can expect Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman’s first two words to Briere being “Porter Martone.” While the 19 year old may be an untouchable, the Flyers are facing a pitched battle for Larkin’s services.
And if the market for him doesn’t develop, Yzerman doesn’t have to pull the trigger on a trade imminently unless he gets maximum value. What would that look like? From here, the cost would likely a combination of the Flyers better young wingers (Tippett, Michkov, Bump, or Foerster), center Noah Cates, a defenseman, and one or two of the Flyers upcoming first round picks.
That’s a substantial haul and even then, it might not be preferable to other offers. But in the area of due diligence, it makes sense for the Flyers to explore the possibility.
Zavragin Traded, Impacted By Vladar?
Early Saturday morning, Flyers top goaltending prospect Yegor Zavragin was traded in a KHL deal.
SKA St. Petersburg dealt the 20-year-old netminder to Metallurg Magnitogorsk, along with fellow prospect Yegor Zelenov for defenseman Alexei Malyukov. The Flyers drafted Zavragin in the third round (87th overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
The trade opens the door to more consistent starting opportunities for Zavragin.
Recently, colleague Russ Cohen and I discussed on Off The Post Radio how a Daniel Vladar extension might affect Zavragin’s North American arrival. As reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers starting goalie appears to have a five year deal awaiting his signature on July 1.
If Zavragin has extended with his new KHL club, expect it will be at least an additional year efore he signs on for his NHL entry level contract.
New Off The Post Radio Coming Monday!
Off The Post Radio will be broadcasting on Monday evening, instead of our usual Sunday morning spot.
Russ Cohen and Michael Augello will give you their thoughts on the NHL Draft Combine in Buffalo. Monday’s show will also be the first part of our NHL Draft Preview Series with special guest Anthony Donati from Draft Prospects Hockey.
And of course, we’ll give you our full analysis of Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final, so be sure to tune in!
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