It’s time for another round of NHL Rumours with us here at Last Word On Hockey. The Philadelphia Flyers have longed for high-end talent. While many options in the upcoming free agent class have dried up, one name in that group is already on the market at this season’s trade deadline. As a note, remember that all NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours: Could Philadelphia Flyers Be In On Top Trade Candidate?
Rumour: SportsNet’s Elliotte Friedman said on 32 Thoughts on January 30th that he puts the Philadelphia Flyers among the teams in the running for Artemi Panarin.
Analysis: There are some direct connections that Friedman points out. The Flyers have a potential young star in Matvei Michkov, who has struggled this season, but is still just 21. Adding a player like Panarin could bring him a valuable mentor.
Panarin’s father-in-law, Oleg Znarok, works for the Flyers’ organization as a scout and consultant.
Friedman also notes that the Flyers would have made a significant push for Kirill Kaprizov had he made it to free agency. Now, he wonders if they would do the same with Panarin.
While adding talent is certainly in the Flyers’ best interest, doing so via trade this season feels less likely. They have lost 11 of the previous 13 games and fallen rapidly out of the Stanley Cup Playoff race. General manager Daniel Briere has said previously that the Flyers are not in position to spend assets on a rental. It would be hard to imagine any trade happening here without an extension in place. After giving Christian Dvorak a five-year extension and given the team’s recent performance, is that really something of interest to the Flyers?
Friedman does note that the possibility of Panarin being a target if he reaches the free-agent market is also there. This could be revisited in the offseason, when there is more time and activity for teams to shape their rosters for the upcoming season.
What It Means
Unless the Flyers, or any team, are able to swing a deal for Panarin in the next couple of days, nothing is immediate. The trade freeze for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics will put a hold to any talk about this for a while. But with Panarin being held out of the lineup indefinitely by the New York Rangers, something is brewing and soon.
The Flyers being floated as a possible destination suggests they recognize the need for high-end talent. Panarin may be 34 years old, but his skill set and production would help any team. That’s especially true of one like Philadelphia, struggling to score goals and with a floundering power play.
The Flyers’ plans going forward are very much in the air at the moment. The last month of struggles may force them to pivot from what looked like a conservative buying plan to make a push for the playoffs.
Other teams seem better positioned to make an acquisition on the level of Panarin, but interest from the Flyers seems to be there regardless.
Main Photo Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images