The hot stove is heating up earlier than ever this season and the Philadelphia Flyers have already been mentioned in a few different rumors.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman wrote in his 32 Thoughts column last week about embattled center Morgan Frost and the Chicago Blackhawks being a potential fit. He once again mentioned the Flyers while talking about another young player on Monday’s podcast. That player is Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Jiricek.
Friedman speculated that the entire Jiricek situation going down in Columbus is heading to an eventual trade. And in the middle of it, kiboshed any notion that there is one frontrunner to acquire the 20-year-old defenseman, but instead what a trade package could look like for the player, and what the Blue Jackets might be looking for.
“I also just wanted to mention Jiricek quickly,” the NHL insider said. “You know, I don’t like to mention it all the time. We know the situation is out there. I did hear on Saturday there were some rumors of some teams who thought they might be getting close. But he played in the American Hockey League on Saturday night. So that said to me … I think if he was close to getting dealt he probably wouldn’t have played that night. I’ve heard they’re looking for another player like similar young player, you know, maybe someone who hasn’t popped yet as, as Burke would say.”
Friedman specifically mentioned the Oilers as a team that he saw reports being made about, linking the team to the player, but he doesn’t see how Edmonton could acquire him. Among teams that do have the pieces that they could give up, Friedman listed three teams: the Minnesota Wild, the Nashville Predators, and the Philadelphia Flyers.
“Another team that’s got a lot of young players, but I don’t know how they feel about this, is Philadelphia. I’m looking at teams who’ve got young players who maybe haven’t popped yet and you could make that kind of a deal.”
He wouldn’t say if there was a favorite, and who knows if the Flyers are actually interested, but you have to think that they’re at least kicking the tires on Jiricek. We already explained how there is an extremely good fit between Jiricek and the Flyers, so it just makes sense. And Danny Briere has already pulled off a big trade with Columbus, albeit with a different general manager, but the relationship is there.
The Flyers certainly have a handful of young players who “haven’t popped yet” as Friedman said. Outside of Matvei Michkov, none of the 23-and-under Flyers have impressed all that much. Bobby Brink has 10 points, Tyson Foerster has shown flashes but still only has six points in 20 games, and Jamie Drysdale is battling another injury — and battling the puck when healthy.
What could a trade look like for the 6-foot-3 right-hand shot defenseman?
Well, the Flyers already have a few young right-handed defensemen not yet in their prime, with the aforementioned Drysdale as well as Oliver Bonk. Travis Sanheim has also shown a knack for playing on the right side, and of course Rasmus Ristolainen is locked up through 2027 even if a trade seems more and more likely.
Could the Flyers look to move Drysdale or Bonk in a package for Jiricek? It’s not out of the question. They may not want to give up on Drysdale or even Bonk just yet, but a former sixth-overall pick who can slot into the lineup right away doesn’t come around too often. This is the type of swing that the Flyers may need to take since they’re not tanking to get a top-five (or potentially even top-10) pick in the draft.
From the Blue Jackets’ perspective, they’d be getting a right-handed defenseman a year younger than Jiricek if they were to target Bonk or an NHL-ready guy in return if they want Drysdale. Of course, the Blue Jackets could also be looking at the Flyers’ three first-round picks and second-round picks as they continue the early stages of a rebuild.
It ultimately may not come to fruition, but hearing speculation around the Flyers and a former top pick with tons of potential is exciting.
