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There is no secret that the Philadelphia Flyers want to add another star to their roster. General manager Daniel Briere previously shocked the NHL by sending a massive offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson. The agreement was a five-year, $90 million ($18 million AAV) deal. The Ducks, however, matched the offer and kept their budding superstar.
While the Carlsson situation did not work out, Briere and the Flyers continue to go big game hunting. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz was recently asked about Philadelphia’s chances of acquiring several star players, including Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Dylan Larkin, and Quinn Hughes. Among these specific players, the beat writer believes Hughes is the most likely target for the Flyers.
“In the short term, I would absolutely pay attention to what’s happening with Quinn Hughes, who still doesn’t have a contract extension in place in Minnesota and who might prefer to continue his career on the East Coast,” writes Kurz.
As Kurz points out, Hughes is very familiar with Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. The two previously worked together while with the Vancouver Canucks. Hughes is also close friends with Flyers star forward Trevor Zegras. In fact, the stars train together and go golfing in the offseason. Zegras just signed a four-year extension worth $9.1 million AAV to remain in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Flyers Play Waiting Game as Quinn Hughes Negotiates With Current Club
GettyQuinn Hughes recorded 53 points in 48 games with the Minnesota Wild last season.
Any chance of the Philadelphia Flyers landing Hughes hinges on his contract negotiations with the Minnesota Wild. The defenseman is set to enter his final season of a six-year, $47.1 million ($7.85 million AAV) contract. While not exactly a small figure, the star blueliner will receive a significant raise in his next deal.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar recently signed an eight-year, $163.2 million ($20.4 million AAV) extension to remain with the club. There is speculation that the Makar deal could help lay the groundwork for the next Hughes contract. Wild general manager Bill Guerin recently claimed that he was “confident” Hughes will ultimately sign an extension in Minnesota. Nevertheless, a deal has not been ironed out yet as training camp approaches.
Philadelphia has Money/Assets to Strike a Deal
Not only do the Philadelphia Flyers want a superstar like Hughes, but they are also in a good position to make a move. According to PuckPedia.com, Briere has nearly $14 million in projected cap space with a full roster. Only four other NHL teams have more funds to work with at the moment. Minnesota, on the other hand, has just $1.1 million in cap space right now.
The Athletic’s Corey Pronman also recently ranked the Flyers’ prospect pool 11th-best in the NHL. Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov topped the analyst’s ratings. Martone is not going anywhere, but Michkov’s future in Philadelphia has been questioned in recent months. Briere and the Flyers have four first-round draft picks over the next three years as well.
Assuming Hughes is available soon, the Philadelphia Flyers will have plenty of competition to land the superstar. The New Jersey Devils are expected to be among several teams in the race. This is mostly due to the fact that Quinn’s two brothers, Jack and Luke, currently play in New Jersey.
Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore