Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers: Top Remaining NHL Offer Sheet Candidates
Tuesday was an unusual day for the NHL world, as the Philadelphia Flyers and other teams stood by as the St. Louis Blues signed Edmonton Oilers youngsters Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to offer sheets as part of an ambitious retool attempt.
It’s unlikely the Flyers, Oilers, or other NHL teams would even touch the reported AAV of $4,580,917 that Broberg received, and while Holloway’s offer sheet was more palatable, St. Louis’s move on Broberg indicates that they are attempting to get the young defenseman at a price nobody else would match.
And, that move comes after the news that veteran defenseman Torey Krug could potentially miss the entire 2024-25 season in order to correct a significant issue with his left ankle.
So, how can the Flyers follow the Blues’ lead and get creative to address some of the squad’s biggest short- and long-term needs?
No. 3: C Cole Perfetti, Winnipeg Jets
After setting career-highs in goals, points, and regular season games played in 2023-24, Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti remains without a contract through the first half of August.
Perfetti, 22, scored 19 goals, 19 assists, and 38 points in 71 games last season in a depth role for Winnipeg, but generally took a step back offensively after managing 30 points through only 51 games in the season prior.
Perfetti was drafted 10th overall by the Jets in the 2020 NHL Draft, and though he was regarded as a slightly below-average skater, Perfetti boasts elite puck skills and a hard, accurate shot.
Aside from being a center, the other appeal to bringing aboard the Whitby, Ontario, native on an offer sheet is the fact that he and current Flyers forward Owen Tippett were linemates on the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL during the 2018-19 season.
Perfetti and Tippett remain close and have been training together this offseason; maybe Tippett, who signed a massive eight-year extension with the Flyers in January, can put in a good word for his old pal.
The Flyers have plenty of draft compensation to burn through, so if Perfetti is again pegged in for a depth role in Winnipeg, the Jets may not be willing to spend their money to match whatever the Flyers might put on the table.
No. 2: F Dawson Mercer, New Jersey Devils
Heading back out east into familiar territory, it’s a bit surprising that New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer remains a restricted free agent without a contract given how big of a piece he is for that team.
Mercer, 22, is an average skater who is coming off a career-worst 33-point season, though it’s worth noting that be crossed the 20-goal threshold for the second year in a row. Mercer has played all 82 regular season games in all three of his NHL seasons and is only one year removed from a 27-goal, 29-assist, 56-point campaign complete with seven points in 12 playoff games.
The Carbonear, Newfoundland, native is a versatile forward who kills penalties, plays the power play, and can shift between right wing and center at the drop of a hat. The benefit for the Flyers here is that Mercer would allow them to avoid committing to unproven, aging, or inconsistent players such as Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Scott Laughton.
The Flyers also have plenty of speedsters to help unlock Mercer’s full potential offensively and in transition. Players like Tippett and Travis Konecny would benefit greatly from playing with a jack-of-all-trades forward like Mercer.
Additionally, the Devils are running extremely low on cap space after a prolific free agent period, and after re-signing forward Nolan Foote, that only becomes more pronounced.
The Flyers can exploit the Devils by signing Mercer to a number higher than New Jersey can match without making a corresponding transaction, taking advantage of the LTIR cap space they’ll get from Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen.
No. 1: C Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Last but certainly not least, we turn to who was once the hopes and dreams of the Seattle Kraken franchise.
Drafted No. 2 overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Matty Beniers was thought to be the No. 1 two-way center of Seattle’s future, but the 21-year-old just hasn’t put all the pieces together yet on a Kraken team devoid of top-tier offensive talent.
After scoring 24 goals, 33 assists, and 57 points in 80 games in his first NHL season in 2022-23, Beniers took a major step back last season, finishing the year with only 15 goals, 22 assists, and 37 points in 77 games after being tasked with tough minutes offensively and defensively.
Beniers is a decent enough skater whose shot is still coming along, but he has outstanding defensive instincts and is a willing and efficient creator of offense. Beniers’ main issue offensively is that he can’t do it all by himself, but on a Flyers team that flaunts talents like Tippett, Konecny, Matvei Michkov, that won’t be an issue.
Beniers is likely to cost the Flyers an arm and a leg, but if the Kraken choose not to match a potential offer sheet, it could pay off in spades down the road.
All three would be a plus…I particularly like Perfetti and Berniers. What puzzles me is all three teams have around $5/6M in cap space available. For Flyers to get one in a trade however, they will need to give up one of their first round draft picks and also a young forward current NHL player, along the lines of a Brink or Cates….and a defensive prospect….maybe an Andrae, McDonald or Ginning.
I don’t think it would cost us that much to get Berniers. The Kracken by not putting out an offer sheet are saying if he stays he stays. If he goes he goes. I think if we throw Farabee and a 2nd round pick or a prospect to fill a position they need we could get him.
Offers don’t work and never happen, but other than that the players are intriguing. There are 2 small offer sheets out now but they are as successful as Rojas standing in the batters box
That’s a messed up analogy, but funny as hell!
I would stick with the lineup we have at this point. Why shell out bucks and reduce cap space for regressing players? Also, from the article: “veteran defenseman Torey Krug could potentially miss the entire 2024-25 season in order to correct a significant issue with his left ankle.” We were ready to trade for this guy last year except he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause. Would have been taken for suckers twice. (Ryan Ellis).
Sometimes God looks out for the retarded kids! LOL Great point on krug.
Oh go after Beniers! I see him fitting into the rebuild just fine. It’s hard to put up good numbers if your playing defense all the time. With the talent on the Flyers I see his numbers jumping back up. Also he is something the Flyers need, a center. It just makes too much sense.
I don’t have an opinion on any above . I’ve seen Mercer and generally like him but we just drafted our 3rd center this year in my opinion . We need a #1 . Mercer isn’t a #1
I gotta see guys in the playoffs too sometimes . But these guys are all young .I haven’t seen perfetti too.
berniers is the kraken franchise for now , a new franchise . I doubt we mess with that . They have Shane wright as a sniper center eventually too
I have no idea what St. Louis is doing . They dump all their ringers 5 years too early except parayko . Krug is a joke and if he’s not out there with chara holding his hand he gets run over in playoffs . Gave Pietrangelo away to Vegas a top 3 #1 defenseman and replace him with krug who is bottom 6 #1 defenseman in entire league . Above petry and dangleo types
I want Robert Thomas . I hope blues fail trying to screw over Edmonton . I also want Draisaitl so I’m rooting for a Oilers cup then they will break it up like the blues did post cup
“I want Robert Thomas . I hope blues fail trying to screw over Edmonton . I also want Draisaitl so I’m rooting for a Oilers cup then they will break it up like the blues did post cup”……….doubt either of that ever happens. Have you even seen Thomas’ contract with the Blues!……$8M AAV until 2030…seriously.
I’d make run at Mercer just to hurt the Devils.