Core Flyers Players Named Top 10 NHL Trade Targets

With the first quarter of the 2024-25 season in the books for most NHL teams, trade season is upon us, and the struggling Philadelphia Flyers are not excluded from some of the swirling trade rumors.

And with the Flyers struggling, fans should not be surprised to hear these names floated in trade talks: Rasmus Ristolainen and Joel Farabee.

Ristolainen, 30, has been forced into a top pairing role after Cam York’s injury. Ristolainen suffered a season-ending injury ahead of the NHL trade deadline last year and played only 31 regular season games in total for Philadelphia.

Now that he’s flourishing in an expanded role and showing what he can do against top competition, the veteran Flyers defenseman is re-gaining some of the trade interest he garnered last season before the injury.

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Daily Faceoff NHL insider Frank Seravalli has ranked Ristolainen 3rd out of 15 early trade targets.

“The defense market is thinning with each and every extension. Ristolainen’s name has circulated through the rumor mill and the Flyers are hoping he will generate enough buzz between now and March to net a solid return,” writes Seravalli. “Teams are still drawn to his size, though his ability to defend is still a question mark and his point production has slid. Staying healthy and on the ice will help everyone’s cause.”

For the Flyers, the major obstacle in trading Ristolainen lies in the three years (including this year) remaining on his contract at a $5.1 million cap hit.

Joel Farabee among likeliest Flyers trade candidates

Unlike Ristolainen, Farabee’s inclusion on Seravalli’s NHL trade targets list is more of a surprise.

Why? Although he hasn’t gotten off to a great start this season, Farabee has still been fairly productive, scoring three goals, five assists, and eight points in 20 games while averaging only 14:38, his lowest average ice time since averaging 14:06 in 2019-20, Farabee’s rookie season.

However, the Syracuse, NY, native has just one assist in his last five games.

Farabee scored a career-high 22 goals, 28 assists, and 50 points last season, with only two of those goals and five of those assists coming on the power play. Some could argue that Farabee still has some untapped potential and could reach it playing on a team with a higher level of skill.

Seravalli has Farabee ranked sixth on his preliminary trade board.

“This isn’t Farabee’s first appearance on the Trade Targets board – and the reason hasn’t changed. He’s still in need of a change of scenery. Last year, Farabee still produced 20 even-strength goals and 50 total points despite his seemingly perpetual position in John Tortorella’s doghouse,” opines Seravalli. “Imagine what he could do with a fresh start?

“The Flyers are open to anything and everything. And his contract shouldn’t be viewed as a detriment, but a positive, because the prime of his career is already locked up at a reasonable number.”

Farabee has four years remaining on his contract at a $5 million cap hit, which could prove to be a modest figure if he is able to reach the heights he reached last season more consistently.

Other notable inclusions on Seravalli’s trade board include Columbus defenseman David Jiricek, who we wrote about a little over a week ago, and Anaheim center Trevor Zegras, who is a Flyers fan-favorite trade target.

Decisions, decisions.