Flyers Mailbag: Draft Notes, Defensive Pairs, and 2026 FA Outlook

It’s time for our newest Flyers Mailbag! You guys asked the questions, and we answered them!

In this edition of the mailbag, we talk about the Flyers’ cap space, some questions regarding the defensive core, the 2025 NHL draft, a preview of ’26 free agency, and more!

This is only part one, so if you have any more questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below or through this link!

Given cap restrictions, how likely is a trade to happen before the start of camp?-Steve

I don’t want to put a percentage on this, but I do think some sort of roster move is likely before the season starts. I don’t want to say before camp for a specific reason. Theoretically, the Flyers can take their current makeup into the season. Therefore, they don’t HAVE to create more cap space.

On the other hand, if the Flyers want Alex Bump, Jett Luchanko, or even Porter Martone on the roster, they’ll have to free some cap space.

They’ll get some relief once they decide which defenseman is going to make the roster between Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert. They’ll get even more space if Ivan Fedotov does, in fact, end up with the Phantoms.

A trade would free up both a roster spot and cap space. While a trade may not be as likely, I do think the Flyers will open up some cap space before the season starts.

What is the drop-dead deadline date that Porter Martone can make a decision on going to the NCAA?-Romus

This one doesn’t require a lengthy answer, but I’ve seen plenty of confusion regarding this topic, so I figured I’d address it.

The deadline for a student-athlete to enroll in a university to be eligible for the NCAA Ice Hockey season is August 1st. That means Martone would have to decide whether he is willing to go to the NCAA or make a run for the NHL fairly soon.

Martone could not enroll in school and then attend training camp, so a decision must be made soon.

So, the choice boils down to this: choose to play in the NCAA, or attempt to make the NHL with the risk of going back to the OHL.

I think Sanheim played some of his best hockey offensively on the left side with a healthy Risto, but I don’t think Drysdale should be with him, and York can’t play the right side. Thoughts?-Gary P

There have been some very similar conversations between a friend and me regarding Travis Sanheim. I actually want to write a more comprehensive column on this in the future, so I won’t put too much emphasis on it right now.

Sanheim would play great on the left side if given a right-shot partner who could thrive with top-pair minutes. I believe that Sanheim would still thrive from the right side if the Flyers chose to acquire a top-pair left-side defenseman.

Either way, Sanheim is a top-pair defenseman. He will thrive once he gets a true No. 1 partner.

Will Ryan Ellis ever play again?-Deano

No.

Hypothetically, had the Flyers stayed at four, who do you think they would have selected there with Schaefer, Misa, and Frondell off the board?-Denis

From the language used by Danny Briere after the first round, it seems like Martone was as high as No. 2 on their draft board, but no lower than No. 3. They were thrilled to get someone that high on their board at No. 6, making it worth passing on Hagens in that spot.

Now, there is a chance that they could have passed on Martone for a different center, such as Caleb Desnoyers or even Brady Martin, given how highly the league regarded him. Those players went No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Ultimately, I do believe Briere meant it when he said the plan was to pick the best player available. Many expected it to be a center, but it was always Martone. He would have been the pick regardless.

With how talent retention has been around the league this offseason, what kind of Flyers offseason can we look for next year? Most of the big names this year had their fates decided pre-July 1st. Do you think we will see the same situation next year?-Nicky

This is another question that I think would be better suited for a more in-depth story. However, that does not mean I can’t address it now.

The 2026 free agent class is absolutely loaded. Connor McDavid headlines the class, with Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, Cale Makar, Kyle Connor, Artemi Panarin, Adrian Kempe, Marty Necas, and many more. The RFA class is just as talented: Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Jason Robertson, Thomas Harley, Logan Cooley–you get the point.

Just like the Flyers, every team is going to have an influx of cap space. Philly is not special in that regard. Player contracts will cost more, but most teams will be able to retain their talent if said talent wants to stay.

Yes, I do think the Flyers will get a big free agent next season. No, I do not think they will even have a chance at a McDavid, Makar, Kaprizov, Eichel, and maybe even Kempe. Instead, I’d look more towards the Necas, Connor crowd, and see if they can bring in one of the big fishes more likely to leave.

I will dive into this deeper in the offseason.

Flyers Mailbag: Draft Notes, Defensive Pairs, and 2026 FA Outlook

Tags: