While the Stanley Cup Final is underway in Edmonton, 30 of the National Hockey League’s 32 clubs are now in offseason (AKA Silly Season rumor mill) mode. The big news from the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo involved potential top-10 Draft prospect Roger McQueen. The center reports that he feels 100 percent healthy after rehabbing a fracture in his lower back. The player received medical clearance to participate in the Combine’s rigorous physical tests.
Meanwhile, here are some Flyers Quick Hits for June 5, 2025.
Report: Yogi heading for Philly
Rick Dhaliwal reports that Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Yaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovsky has exercised an out-clause in his contract. Svejkovsky, 48, will join new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet in leaving Vancouver for Philadelphia. It’s believed that Svejkovsky will coach the Flyers’ forwards and penalty kill, filling a vacancy created when the organization dismissed Rocky Thompson.
Svejkovsky and Tocchet briefly played together with the Washington Capitals in 1996-97 when Tocchet was a veteran rental and Yogi was a rookie. Many years later, Svejkovsky joined Tocchet’s coaching staff with the Canucks. Tocchet, who is fairly hands-on with his team’s power play, enjoyed a strong working and personal relationship with the Czech-born Svejkovsky.
Yogi will become the first NHL-level European coach in Philadelphia Flyers’ history. However, at the American Hockey League level, Kjell Samuelsson had a lengthy coaching career in the organization. As a bench coach, he served as the Philadelphia Phantoms’ assistant coach and (for most of 2006-07) head coach. Later, he returned to an assistant role with Philadelphia and Adirondack through 2012-13. In total, Samuelsson coached with the Phantoms from 2000-01 to 2012-13.
Silly Season: Several Flyers Rumors
Longtime readers know that I’ve never been a “rumors guy”. I tend to worry about the roster as is, and shift focus when and if something actually happens. That said, I do expect the Flyers to do some roster reshaping this off-season to continue a process that started in the second half of the 2024-25 season.
- The Flyers are linked to trade rumors involving Vegas Golden Knights defensive defenseman Nicolas Hague. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound averaged 16-plus minutes of ice time for the Golden Knights in 68 games in 2024-25. Hague, 26, played his best season in 2022-23, serving as Vegas’ number four defenseman (81 games, 17 points, 133 blocks, 117 credited hits, 18:05 average time. Big-framed D are back in vogue again around much of the NHL and the Flyers Hockey Ops people have cited a desire to add more size to the roster, especially on the blueline.
- It does not seem like the Flyers are near to an extension agreement with defenseman Cam York. With Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates signed to extensions, York is the Flyers most notable remaining restricted free agent. York allegedly prefers a long-term extension to a bridge deal, and the sides are not yet close on cap hit or contract length.
- I spoke to Flyers source yesterday regarding Dallas Stars standout Jason Robertson. The reply was, “Every team would love a 40-goal winger in his mid-20s.” However, there was skepticism over whether Dallas general manager Jim Nill is actually receptive to a Robertson trade that wouldn’t be prohibitive for the other side in return price and long-term cap structure. Robertson, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, would require a massive immediate extension to preempt free agency in a year. (By the way, my personal opinion is, the player is actually available, go get him and figure out how to get him a center).
- Among other teams, the Flyers are one rumored to be eyeing Winnipeg Jets wing/center Gabriel Vilardi if he does not sign a preemptive extension before July 1. Vilardi has two options this offseason if not extended by July. He could pursue arbitration or he could see if there’s an attractive offer-sheet to force Winnipeg’s hand to match or let him walk.
O&B Puckcast
Flyers Daily host Jason Myrtetus is the special guest on the new edition of the O&B Puckcast. The discussion in this episode, unsurprisingly, focuses on the next steps for the Flyers. Who and what should be the top priorities this summer for general manager Daniel Briere.
