Flyers Mailbag: Prospects, Offseason Plan, Torts’ Future

I have not done this sort of story quite yet, but I thought I’d give it a go. I asked people via Instagram, Facebook, and the app formerly known as Twitter (X) if they had any Flyers-related questions they wanted answered in the story.

Here are some of the questions asked:

Flyers Mailbag

Flyers’ Prospects

The first question came from an X user. It was a two-parter; here is the first part.

Q: Are there any prospects in the Flyers system that you REALLY like or think the Flyers can’t let go of?

A: The easy answer to this is Jett Luchanko. The Flyers desperately need help at center, and there is a big gap between Jett and the Flyers’ next-best center prospect (Maybe Jack Berglund). Luchanko will likely make the Flyers roster next season and probably report to Lehigh when Guelph’s season ends this year.

Like most, I am also very high on Oliver Bonk. But with the other RHD the Flyers have in the system, I would be more inclined to trade Bonk over Luchanko if they find themselves in blockbuster conversations.

The other prospect I would try to keep around to at least give him a shot is Denver Barkey. He has shown an unbelievable knack for earning points. He can score but is also a great playmaker. When you play for one of the best junior teams assembled, it’s easy to do so. Barkey has plenty of upside, and I would try to keep him in the system rather than trade him.

Read: Flyers’ Prospect Update

Draft Prospects

The second part of the question is similar, but about the draft.

Q: Are there any prospects in the draft that You like or think the Flyers need?

A: As it seems right now, this draft is very top-heavy. Obviously, the expected top-four: Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, James Hagens, and Porter Martone are all “can’t pass up on” prospects. I am unsure if the Flyers will be able to land a pick to put them in a position to draft one of those guys, but who knows with this team? If they want one of those guys badly, a trade-up using their surplus of draft capital could happen as well.

Outside of those top guys, Anton Frondell has grown on me a lot. Playing in Sweden’s second league, the 17-year-old is putting on a clinic. He has 22 points in 27 games, but his play has excelled lately. He will certainly climb the draft boards and could see himself in the top three. Frondell is a center whose playmaking ability could mesh very well with Michkov, but he also plays a great 200-foot game. He is an all-around stud; if he is in range, he should be a must-grab for the Flyers.

My favorite prospect is still Roger McQueen. He is everything you want in a center. McQueen is 6’5″ and plays like his size. He brings a level of physicality the Flyers could use, especially from a center. McQueen is on the lighter side, weighing in at 193 pounds, but if he can fill out his frame, he can be dangerous. He’s been sidelined for a while this season with a lower-body injury but had 11 points in his eight games. McQueen is a risky pick, but the reward could be significant.

The other prospect I like in the area where the Flyers should fall is Frondell’s current teammate, Victor Eklund. Though Eklund is a LW, not a C like the Flyers desperately need, he might be a can’t pass on talent if he is available. The Flyers’ left side is not as strong as their right, and they could benefit from a guy like Eklund. He really rose up my board during the World Juniors. Eklund had six points in seven games.

Another Draft Question

Q: Another X user simply asked, “Ivan Ryabkin?”

A: Assuming the question is about the possibility of drafting Ryabkin, I would say this: Ryabkin is a guy who was expected to be in or near the top ten but has drastically slid down draft boards even though he is now playing the USHL. He comes in at 6’0″, 200 pounds, which, as a centerman, is not too bad. His tenure in Russia did not quite go as planned, combining for just two points in 10 games in the KHL and VHL, then picked up a bit in the MHL (1G, 11A, 12P in 15 games).

He has played quite well in the USHL, with 16 points (9G, 7A) in 13 games–a much better pace than his KHL numbers. His stock slid after his time in Russia this season, but he could still be an option with the Edmonton and Colorado picks. He was once said to be in that same group as Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov, so if you have as many picks as the Flyers do this season, it is certainly worth taking a risk.

A Phantom Soon to Get a Call?

Q: Will Massimo Rizzo see any time this year, or is it too early to tell?

A: The short and sweet answer here is no. Rizzo is a prospect that will take time to develop. Even in college, he was not much of a scorer but rather a playmaker. He is not a bad player by any means. If there is one, his future with the Flyers will be bottom-six minutes. He probably needs to develop a bit more as a scorer before he comes up.

That could all change if the deadline or injuries completely decimate an already weak group of centers. I still lean towards Rodrigo Abols being the next man up, not just as a center but as a forward in general. A whole year in Lehigh will benefit Rizzo and allow him to compete for a roster spot this summer.

Read: Flyers Farm: Phantoms Update

Offer Sheet

Q: Who can the Flyers make an offer sheet to this season?

A: I am sure the Flyers will be looking into the offer sheet landscape this season. There are definitely players that would make sense for Philly. It just comes down to whether or not they can outbid the player’s current team.

I look at Anaheim and immediately think of Mason McTavish. With Leo Carlsson already at center and the thought of moving Trevor Zegras back to center, McTavish could become expendable, especially if they select a center in the draft. However, if they commit long-term to McTavish, a trade for one of the other two could be in play (probably not Carlsson).

I am sure the Flyers will kick the tires on a Wyatt Johnston offer sheet, but he will be very hard to pry away from Dallas. If they were to pull it off, the Flyers would have to pay him a lot and give up many future draft assets.

Matthew Knies could be a name talked about, and the Flyers should keep an eye on the situation in Toronto. There’s been no indication that Toronto won’t prioritize keeping their rising start left-winger around. Still, a big offseason coming for the Leafs could cause them to focus more of their money on pending UFAs like Mitch Marner and John Tavares. Knies would help bolster a relatively weak group of left-wings in Philly.

Marco Rossi and Gabe Vilardi are a few other names to keep an eye on. Again, offer sheets are hard to complete. These are just some of the names that could be great fits with the Flyers.

Read: Flyers Want Big Moves; Trades, Free Agents, & Names to Watch

Trade Rumors

Q: Who are the Flyers going for in trade rumors?

A: Given the Flyers’ current situation, the rumors are more about the players on their roster than potential targets. Rasmus Ristolainen and Scott Laughton remain the two Flyers whose names are still generating some chatter. There’s not much other noise aside from that. Maybe a surprise trade of a veteran like Nicolas Deslauriers or Garnet Hathaway to a contender looking for some edge, but I just don’t see it.

That said, the only name that has really been rumored as a Flyers target is Fraser Minten in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. The rumor started when Anthony SanFilippo said on the “Snow the Goalie Press Row Show” that the Flyers had an interest in Minten. Given Toronto’s noted interest in both Laughton and Ristolainen, he could be a name to keep an eye on.

When it comes to trade rumors with this team, the general rule of thumb is if you see it coming, it’s not going to happen. Maybe they will make the expected move one day. Or maybe even one with a pretty small rumor connected to it like this one. But since the Briere era began, everything seems to be kept close to the vest.

Read: Could Scott Laughton Actually Be on the Move?

Torts’ Future

Q: Is Torts done after this year?

A: That is up to him. The Flyers are in a funky spot. Judging a coach and his performance is tough when he’s not given the tools to succeed. I think Tortorella is one of those “right coach, wrong time” types. I don’t see the Flyers extending him when his deal is up after next season. My best guess is that John Tortorella will join the Flyers’ front office when he is done coaching.

That could change if a coach they like for the post-Tortorella era becomes available early. Maybe they try to give him a management position sooner. However, until Tortorella himself decides he does not want to be behind the bench anymore, I believe the organization will remain loyal.

If you want your questions answered in the next mailbag Q&A post, follow my X, @wmjsports, and my Instagram with the same handle.