Flyers Offseason Mailbag Part 1: Trade Candidates, Michkov Playing Center?

We’re one week into August, which means we’re one week closer to the start of training camp and the Philadelphia Flyers taking to the ice for the start of the NHL preseason.

The NHL offseason has been dragging in the last few weeks, with the 2024 NHL Draft complete, the busy days of free agency over, and prospect development camps wrapped up. That being said, now seems like a good time to get out Part 1 of our monthly Flyers mailbag, where you ask me your questions about the Flyers and I answer them to the best of my ability with some other thoughts mixed in.

Note: Feel free to comment on questions for Part 2 below. Twitter/X is primarily the best method for getting in touch and asking questions, but I also read our comments.

What’s your opinion of the flyers trying michkov at https://t.co/FMZmd88WN4 sure would fill a massive hole the flyers have up the middle.Maybe they don’t try it this year to get him accustomed to North America but at some point I see them give it a real shot

— tom (@Hunton8812) August 1, 2024

Tom, @hunton8812, kicks us off with an interesting one. Tom asks, “What’s your opinion of the Flyers trying Michkov at centre?”

I’ll start by saying I’m a real big fan of the way Matvei Michkov plays the game, and so are the Flyers. That’s why they picked him. In a vacuum, I think that Michkov’s brains and playstyle would fit the center position very well.

Michkov is at his best when he’s able to conduct his teammates and manipulate his opponents into disadvantageous positions. From there, he can beat you with a move, his shot, or his passing. I think that all this talk about him being an average skater is greatly overstated. Michkov is amazing in short areas and is incredibly agile, so, from the blueline in, he needs to have the puck.

I think if there is a long-term injury to a center this season, this is something the Flyers might consider. They have far more capable wingers than they have capable centers. My only question would be how Michkov fares defensively, but that department was going to be a work in progress anyway, regardless of any kind of position change.

Even though he’s only 19, Michkov has an incredible mentality and approach to his craft. That and his hockey IQ will take him wherever he wants to go at whatever position he wants to play.

Not a question but I don’t remember the last time we had a drafted player (Michkov) this excited to join the flyers. He seems so genuinely happy to be here. 2 months before TC in a new country without family here yet. Gotta be pumped for him

— dutchyhoops (@dutchyhoops) August 1, 2024

Dutchyhoops, @dutchyhoops, says, “Not a question but I don’t remember the last time we had a drafted player (Michkov) this excited to join the Flyers. He seems so genuinely happy to be here. Two months before training camp in a new country without family here yet. Gotta be pumped for him,”.

A little bit like I noted above to Tom’s question, Michkov’s mental resolve is just top tier. He’s so self-aware and down to earth. I’m not sure exactly what Matvei’s affinity is for the Flyers that he made them one of the few teams he wanted to play for in the NHL, but playing in the NHL at all will be a dream come true for him and his family.

He knows the NHL is the best league in the world and even said that you “don’t need motivation” to want to play here. Michkov genuinely loves the game of hockey, and I think that when the season gets rolling, and he starts producing, that energy will be even more infectious among the fans. It’s going to be a really exciting season, I think.

Seems like we need to move a winger. What teams do you see as needing wing help & being potential trade partners. Also, on those teams that are potential partners, what players (Center?) do you think could be a match in a trade

— DV (@d0206v) August 1, 2024

DV, @d0206v, asks, “Seems like we need to move a winger, what teams do you see as needing wing help and being potential trade partners. Also, on those teams that are potential partners, what players (Center?), do you think could be a match in a trade?”

Right now, I think the most obvious one would be Anaheim, and a lot of people have been interested in possibly getting Trevor Zegras in a deal. I know the Ducks were interested in a top-six right wing and never got one, but they can still run with Ryan Strome, who’s signed for three more years, and Troy Terry in those roles.

As far as Zegras goes, I think he’s probably a center more than a left wing, and I don’t see him being a better center long-term than Mason McTavish or Leo Carlsson. So, even though the Ducks might want to keep Zegras at left wing in their top-six, they can still have Cutter Gauthier and, say, Joel Farabee and other assets, to keep the salary similar and to continue building.

Another team I wonder about is New Jersey, because Dawson Mercer still hasn’t been re-signed. Like Zegras, he’s not a No. 1 center and has been used as a winger more often than not. Just based on what the Devils need, players on expiring contracts, like Noah Cates or Morgan Frost, might make sense for both parties.

Lastly, the St. Louis Blues have almost zero depth in their lineup, $7.339 million in cap space, and two top center prospects named Otto Stenberg and Dalibor Dvorsky. If the Flyers want to try some kind of blockbuster move to offload a winger, St. Louis would be a real interesting place to start.

Could Joel Farabee or other Flyers be moved prior to start of training camp?

— Ed Helinski 🇺🇸🇵🇱 (@MrEd315) August 2, 2024

Ed Helinski, @MrEd315, asks, “Could Joel Farabee or other Flyers be moved prior to start of training camp?”

I know this is probably a boring or slightly cliche answer, but I don’t think the Flyers are actively exploring any deals at this time. In all likelihood, the plan appears to be running the same roster they did last year, with the exceptions of Michkov and Cam Atkinson, and seeing what happens from there.

That being said, though, the Flyers have been very clear that they are willing to consider any deals that they feel make them a better team now or in the future. You can never rule out something like that as a possibility over the next few weeks, but I think it’s more likely to take place during the season.

How many Flyers are training at the Flyers Skate Zone?

— Leigh (@flyersfan1953) August 1, 2024

Leigh, @flyersfan1953, asks, “How many Flyers are training at the Flyers Skate Zone?”

It’s hard to get a gauge on how many guys have started skating since most were just at Travis Sanheim’s wedding but, to my knowledge, a number of players have been around this summer skating and doing work.

My understanding is that Michkov has been working out regularly, and players like Farabee, Bobby Brink, Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Tyson Foerster, Ivan Fedotov, Alex Ciernik, Hunter McDonald, and Oliver Bonk have all been around at different points. Foerster was a guest coach for the Flyers Hockey School on July 31, too.

I can also say that Sam Ersson has been training in Sweden with Johan Holmqvist alongside fellow Swedish goalies Jacob Markstrom and Jonas Johansson.

Thoughts on Chuck Fletcher to the devils

— Koharski's Donuts (@koharskisdonuts) August 3, 2024

Koharski’s Donuts, @koharskisdonuts, asks for “Thoughts on Chuck Fletcher to the Devils,”

Well, the Devils hired old Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher on Aug. 1 as a senior advisor, and he has some old ties to Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald. That’s usually how these kinds of hires shake out.

I never covered Fletcher’s tenure with the Flyers so I can’t speak to him too much, but a lot of the moves he made did make sense in a vacuum. Most of them just didn’t pan out. Fletcher’s biggest mistake was making moves to try and keep a clearly declining team competitive, which worked until it didn’t.

The thing with running a professional sports team is that when your moves work out, you’re a genius, and when you start to make mistakes and crumble, you won’t be around to see the aftermath. I haven’t loved Fitzgerald’s moves from afar, either, so I guess we’ll see how he and Fletcher do business as a team going forward.