After 15 years and 1,000 games, the Flyers and their fans have said their tearful goodbyes to Claude Giroux. The longest-tenured captain in Flyers history, an entire generation of Flyers fans (myself included) grew up with Claude Giroux as the face of the Flyers. Now, as he chases his ever-elusive first Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers, the Flyers have officially hit the reset button and are looking to start fresh.
While it hurt like hell to see Giroux go, it was a move that was necessary if the Flyers want to rebuild and let Giroux join an actual contender in the twilight of his career. The return Giroux netted has left some disappointed but in reality, a first-round pick in 2024 and a solid prospect isn’t a bad return for an aging forward in the last year of his contract. Though it’s been rumored that the Avalanche had a better offer, Giroux ultimately wanted to be in Florida. After the Flyers had failed to put a good team around him for much of his time here, he deserved to choose his team. I don’t believe he owed the Flyers anything. Disagree with that all you want, but Giroux had earned that right in my mind.
Now, where does that leave us? With almost all of the cornerstones of this franchise over the past decade gone, the Flyers have the opportunity to rebuild their core and start over. With money to spend moving forward and a stockpile of draft picks, including a first-rounder this year that could very likely end up in the top 5, let’s take a look at where the team stands as they attempt to move forward and start a new (and hopefully successful) era of Flyers hockey.
The Flyers’ Trade Deadline Haul:
- Claude Giroux, Connor Bunnaman, and German Rubstov for Owen Tippett, a conditional 2024 first-round pick, a 2023 third-round pick
- Justin Braun for a 2023 third-round pick
- Derick Brassard for a 2023 fourth-round pick
Future Draft Picks
2022
- 1st Round Pick
- No 2nd Round Pick – traded to Arizona in Gostisbehere contract dump
- 3rd Round Pick
- 4th Round Pick
- 5th Round Pick
- 6th Round Pick
- 7th Round Pick
2023
- 1st Round Pick
- No 2nd Round Pick – traded to Buffalo in the Ristolainen trade
- Three 3rd Round Picks – one of their own and two acquired from New York and Florida in Braun and Giroux trades
- Two 4th Round Picks – one of thier own and one acquired from Edmonton in the Brassard trade
- 5th Round Pick
- 6th Round Pick
- 7th Round Pick
2024
- Two 1st Round Picks – one of their own and one acquired from Florida in the Giroux trade
- 2nd Round Pick
- 3rd Round Pick
- 4th Round Pick
- No 5th Round Pick – traded to Florida in Giroux Trade
- 6th Round Pick
- 7th Round Pick
There will likely be a lot of changes to their draft selections as they acquire new players, move players for more picks and likely try to rid themeslves of a few contracts, but the Flyers currently are set up nicely with 4 first-round picks over the next three years.
Cap Space and Contract Situation
With all their moves over the past few days, the Flyers now have $2.6 million in cap space going into the offseason. Moving forward, the Flyers have many of their important players locked up and Couturier and Ristolainen extensions beginning next season, so not much cap space will open up this summer (roughly around $10 million) before they re-sign their impending free agents.
Expiring contracts:
- Morgan Frost (RFA)
- Owen Tippett (RFA)
- Zack McEwen (RFA)
- Nate Thompson (UFA)
- Keith Yandle (UFA)
- Kevin Connauton (UFA)
- Sam Morin (RFA)
- Nick Seeler (RFA)
The Flyers don’t have any huge names to re-sign, but they will have to bring back Frost and Tipett as they both finish their rookie deals. But other than that, just a few role players that the team will have to decide if they want them back.
On the other hand, the Flyers have Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson, Travis Konency and Kevin Hayes locked up long-term at forward with Ivan Provorov, Ryan Ellis, and Rasmus Ristolainen under contract for the forseeable future and Travis Sanheim entering a contract year in 2022-23.
Coaching
To say that I’d be shocked if Mike Yeo was back as the Flyers’ head coach in 2022-23 would be an understatement. Going 12-21-7 under Yeo’s guidance, there hasn’t been many signs that he can turn this Flyers team around. Where might the Flyers turn?
Some names that were thrown around earlier this season were Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella. Tocchet, a fomer Flyer, hasn’t had too much success as a head coach but has won two Stanley Cups as an assistant which will look good on any resume. The “former Flyer” label will certainly have plenty of fans shaking their head, but Tocchet could be a fit. Tortorella, who is now an analyst for ESPN would be the most polarizing selection for the Flyers’ next head coach, but you can’t argue with his team’s track records. They play hard and he expects the most out of them. While that does eventually burn out, like it did in New York and Columbus, Tortorella’s ability to challenge his players might be what a “stuck in the mud” Flyers team might need.
Featured Image: Matt Slocum/AP Photo
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