Does A Trade For Immediate Help Make Sense For The Philadelphia Flyers?

The Flyers do not have attractive assets to move that do not weaken their current roster or jeopardize their future, which is the direction Fletcher should be looking at. Philadelphia's most attractive players that could land a top flight player back, are Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, and Joel Farabee.
If Ivan Provorov is traded for a scorer, the Flyers would have a gaping hole to fill on the top pairing defense, something that would require another trade at significant cost, as nobody else on the Flyers roster can effectively play those minutes. Acquiring a top paring D would be difficult too, as teams in contention do not move top pairing D and teams looking to rebuild will demand top prospects and high end draft picks in return; therefore unnecessarily mortgaging our future. Trading Provorov for a forward does not make sense now, or for our future.

Travis Konecny is the Flyers top bargaining chip, but he should be considered untouchable given his play, point production, and contract. Moving Konecny would at best be a parallel move, so it wouldn't make sense to include him in any deal. Konecny should be off the table.

Joel Farabee is the only other player on the Flyers roster that could bring about a significant return, but he likely isn't on the block. Farabee represents one of Fletcher's most significant contract extensions and has shown the ability to be a consistent top six forward with a relatively high ceiling for production.

The Flyers do not have another roster player that can land them a scorer in trade, not without adding top prospects or significant draft picks. Travis Sanheim and Rasmus Ristolainen have unattractive and untouchable contracts given their play and minimal production. Nick Seeler and Justin Braun are depth D that would land a 3rd or 4th round pick in return, at best.

Up front, Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson are injured and can't be moved, as it currently stands. James Van Reimsdyk has a monster cap hit and is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, meaning teams will not give up much, if anything, for him. Kevin Hayes has a no movement clause in his contract and wouldn't garner a lot of interest at $7.14 million, if he were to wave his NMC. Owen Tippett was traded for Claude Giroux and I don't believe Fletcher would move on from him without his getting a significant look. Tippett alone would not land the Flyers a top six point producer either. Neither would Scott Laughton, who would be an attractive fit for a Cup contending team. Morgan Frost, Zach MacEwen, Wade Allison, Noah Cates and the remainder of the rotating forward group are not well enough established or do not hold enough trade value to secure a high end scorer.

In order for Chuck Fletcher to improve the Flyers right now, he would have to significantly mortgage the future and that might just happen if a deal is made. If the Buffalo Sabres secured multiple picks from the Flyers, including the 14th overall pick in the last draft, for third pairing D Ristolainen, what would Fletcher be willing to sacrifice for a top six scorer?! NHL GM's are probably salivating at the thought, especially sensing the Flyers desperation.

The Flyers have three attractive prospects in their system that would be in demand by teams in a trade, none of whom should be moved for temporary help up front. Cutter Gauthier, Tyson Foerster, and Cam York. York is the only D the Flyers have on their AHL affiliate who appears to have top 4 D potential in the future.

Bobby Brink and diminutive defenseman Emil Andrae also have NHL potential, but they would not be enough on their own to land the help the Flyers need, without adding a 1st round pick(s) to go with them. Goalie Ivan Fedetov is potential trade bait too, but does not have the pedigree or hype to secure a top six forward on his own.

If the Philadelphia Flyers want to improve their roster and add a top six forward, who is a proven scorer, they will have to do so at a significant cost to their future. There is no other option. Fletcher would have to move a proven, attractive commodity, like Provorov, Konecny, or Farabee to secure the immediate offensive help, which would certainly work out disadvantageously for the Flyers. Or the Flyers have to package a deal that includes one of our few legitimate prospects, along with high end draft picks to facilitate a trade. That option could negatively effect the Flyers franchise for years and set the franchise back indefinitely.

Does adding a scorer now, at the expense of Philadelphia's future, make them a playoff bound team and viable Stanley Cup contender? Or does a trade right now extend the Flyers reign of mediocrity and disappointment? I would argue the latter, but Chuck Fletcher likely will not concede his error in choosing to «retool» instead of rebuilding around his young talent; Provorov, Konecny, Farabee, and Carter Hart. I fear any deal Fletcher makes now, will be a regressive step backwards for the Flyers future and would be nothing more than a bandaid solution for the present.