Philadelphia Flyers coach Rick Tocchet is keenly aware of the chatter.
When asked on Thursday, before the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, about his undersized defense pair of Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae, Tocchet was about to cite another defenseman he coached in Vancouver as an example of how to succeed as that kind of player, before quickly pivoting.
“You’re (a small defenseman), if you look at guy like — I’m not going to say (Quinn) Hughes’ name, that’s probably not the road…” Tocchet said, trailing off and eliciting laughter from the attending media throng.
Tocchet’s strong bond with Hughes, whom he’s frequently cited in his press availabilities since being hired in Philadelphia, has led to speculation that the Flyers could aggressively pursue the defenseman if the Canucks opt to trade him. It does make sense on a few levels. Not only is it known that Hughes enjoyed being coached by Tocchet, but he’s also good friends with Trevor Zegras. Further, the Flyers, like every NHL team other than maybe the Colorado Avalanche, don’t have a talent on their back end like Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner. Hughes, who may prefer playing in the Eastern Conference to be closer to his brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils, would immediately become the face of the Flyers franchise.
But it may not the time for the Flyers to get into a potential bidding war. According to team sources, the Flyers believe that the price to acquire Hughes, if they were to become involved, would have to include high-end future assets — think Matvei Michkov and/or Porter Martone to start, along with future first-round picks.
It’s important to remember what Flyers management has said since being installed a little more than two years ago. General manager Daniel Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones are attempting to build a team that will perennially contend. That takes time and a whole lot of patience, which Briere has already shown to be one of his best attributes. Even the organization’s “Brick by Brick” marketing slogan for the 2025-26 season reflects that their approach is going to be unhurried and methodical.
The Zegras trade is a prime example of that. It was widely rumored that he might be available in early 2024, but the trade wasn’t consummated until last June, at what was surely a fraction of the cost of what it would have been more than a year earlier.
To trade players such as the 21-year-old Michkov or the 19-year-old Martone, even for a player such as the 26-year-old Hughes, would only shorten what the Flyers hope will eventually be a long window to contend, in the view of team management. Hughes would undoubtedly give them a boost, of course, particularly if it didn’t mean removing any major contributors from their current roster. But it would also leave their system in much rougher shape, now and for years to come, and that’s not a gamble they’re willing to take at the moment.
The way it was phrased to me from one team source was that the Flyers have had to suffer for years in order to restock their system, which they’ve done by drafting 12 players in either the first or second round over the past three years. That includes six players in the first two rounds in 2025 — players that they still don’t have much of a read on yet as they remain in the early stages of their development. The Flyers’ internal view is that more information is needed on those players before they start getting dangled in trades for players who could help now. They just don’t know what these prospects are going to turn into.
What the Flyers do know is that there will be a time for them to become aggressive in their pursuit of true difference-makers. It’s just probably not right now.
Christian Dvorak continues to contribute. The now-top-line center collected two more assists on Thursday night, and with 21 points (7 goals, 14 assists), he’s now third on the team in scoring behind Zegras (28 points) and Travis Konecny (25 points).
That’s fueled speculation that the Flyers could look to trade the pending unrestricted free agent before the March 6 deadline. But it was reiterated to me by a team source that that most certainly is not the plan, particularly now that Dvorak has become such a key contributor to a team that is squarely in the mix for a playoff spot.
Conversely, a contract extension for Dvorak seems possible. While there haven’t been any discussions with Dvorak’s camp about an extension yet, according to a league source, the 29-year-old has enjoyed his time in Philadelphia while getting reunited with Tocchet.
Christian Dvorak could be playing his way into a longer stay with the Flyers. (Eric Hartline / Imagn Images)
Of course, this could all change. If the Flyers drop out of the playoff race over the next few months, and Dvorak’s ask on a potential extension is too high, he could conceivably get traded for what would probably be a decent return, considering contending teams are always seeking two-way help down the middle.
But, again, that’s not the plan. Flyers management has put a priority on making the playoffs this season, not only because they value young players getting that kind of experience, but because they feel they owe it to the players who have been with the team for several seasons and who have endured the pain of the rebuild. Trading Dvorak would leave a void that they simply wouldn’t be able to fill in the short term.
Instead, the Flyers are still seeking another depth center on the trade market, per multiple team sources. But with the standings so tightly packed, they don’t anticipate trades picking up around the league until well into January.
It’s been just two games, but 22-year-old Ty Murchison has left an impression.
Don’t expect him to stick around much longer, though. The Flyers could get Cam York (upper-body injury) back as soon as Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes, while Rasmus Ristolainen could make his season debut at some point on the upcoming four-game road trip that begins in Raleigh on Sunday. A Nov. 18 return in Buffalo against his former team is possible for Ristolainen, who has been out since last March after triceps surgery.
Murchison earned his recall, according to a team source, due to his tireless work ethic at AHL Lehigh Valley. It was a reward for a player who, dratted in the fifth round in 2021, was no sure bet to ever play any NHL games. The fact that Murchison didn’t look out of place in games against the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks only increased his stock.
Murchison, though, needs to keep getting big minutes with Phantoms, as the club would like him to improve his play with the puck. Expect him to get reassigned as soon as one of the injured defensemen is ready to go.