The Philadelphia Flyers need someone who can generate scoring and rev up the offense from anywhere on the ice. Despite playing better hockey this season, the Orange and Black sit in the bottom five of the NHL, averaging just 2.73 goals per game. There’s a superstar in the Pacific Northwest who does just that — and he may be ready to return back East.
It’s looking increasingly likely the Vancouver Canucks will be moving on from captain Quinn Hughes. While most believe a trade to North Jersey — and a reunion with brothers Jack and Luke on the New Jersey Devils — is the most likely outcome, there have been rumblings that the eldest Hughes could be headed to New Jersey, but at the other end of the Turnpike. According to NHL insider and former Flyers scribe Frank Seravalli, the Flyers are a team to watch in the pursuit of Hughes. Speaking with 880 CHED’s Bob Stauffer on the Oilers Now podcast, Seravalli discussed the Flyers interest in Hughes: “I think they’re one team in the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference that would be salivating to try and get their hands on Quinn Hughes.”
Does it Make Sense for the Orange and Black?
Before the three Devils fans go nuts, a potential trade to Philadelphia does make sense. The Flyers — a team that has traditionally operated in salary-cap hell — are projected to have around $50 million in space for the 2026–27 season. Hughes’ $7.85 million AAV wouldn’t be a massive hit, and his deal would come off the books after that year anyway. There’s also the location factor: the Flyers train in South Jersey, roughly 75 miles south of Prudential Center. It’s about a 75–80-minute drive from Voorhees to Newark, depending on traffic, meaning Hughes would still be close to his brothers.
The Flyers have plenty of trade capital to offer Vancouver should they pursue Hughes. The question becomes: are Keith Jones and Danny Brière ready to pull the trigger on this type of move? For the first time in maybe ever, the Flyers are in the midst of a retool they’re actually doing the right way. A club once notorious under Ed Snider for chasing the Stanley Cup by throwing cash at every problem is now attempting to build from the ground up with homegrown players and select veteran pieces. The addition of Hughes would certainly alter that approach — but again, it could be only for a short window of roughly a season and a half if he doesn’t sign an extension.
Hughes Impact on the Offense from the Blue Line
From a hockey perspective, the addition of Hughes could be massive for the development of players such as Matvei Michkov. Hughes, the 2024 Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman, has averaged 74 assists over the past four seasons. He can help generate offense from the blue line, an area where the Flyers have been lacking. Hughes has also shown goal-scoring prowess over the past two seasons, netting 16 and 17 goals respectively.
It’s About Timing
The belief out of Vancouver is that nothing is imminent. All signs point to the Olympic break as the likely timeframe for a potential Hughes trade, leaving plenty of time for teams to rise and fall in the standings. This isn’t just a two-team race, either — Seravalli and other NHL insiders have also circled the Rangers, Capitals, and Bruins as possible landing spots for the Norris Trophy winner.