The Philadelphia Flyers collapsed at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. Philadelphia held a postseason spot for much of the season. However, they stumbled hard down the stretch, and missed out entirely. Unfortunately, they did little in NHL Free Agency last summer to improve their fortunes. And they didn't come close to the postseason this year.
The Flyers fired John Tortorella before the end of the season. And in the offseason, they replaced him with former Philadelphia star Rick Tocchet. Tocchet has spent the last two and a half seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. During that time, he nearly took them to the Western Conference Finals.
However, that hiring was the biggest move made by Philadelphia to this point. They did extend Cam York on a five-year contract. But their free agency signings amounted to a one-year deal with Christian Dvorak and a two-year contract with goalie Dan Vladar. And their biggest trade acquisition was Trevor Zegras, who has struggled with injuries over the last few seasons.
These aren't moves that are necessarily splashy. But they could help give Philadelphia some added punch in 2025-26. Still, their offseason activity left a bit to be desired if the ultimate goal is to make the playoffs. And with that in mind, here is one move the Flyers should have made at some point during the 2025 NHL offseason.
Flyers have needed top-six center for a while
It's hard not to sound like a broken record when discussing each team's needs. At this point, the vast majority are seeking the same thing. Center depth is very in demand as the NHL offseason rolls to its conclusion. And this especially rings true when it comes to the top-six.
The Flyers are certainly no exception to this. Philadelphia did add Zegras and Dvorak to the mix. However, it's a bit difficult to rely on either player for the top-six. Especially Zegras, given his aforementioned injury struggles.
Of course, Zegras could remain healthy and find his game again. He has shown the ability to produce at a high level, recording 60+ points in each of his first two full seasons. However, the former ninth overall pick has a lot of work to do in order to reach those heights again.
Dvorak, meanwhile, has never produced at that sort of level. In fact, he's never really come close. More than this, he is coming off a season in which he scored 12 goals across 82 games. It's going to be difficult to rely on him to play top-six minutes with this sort of production.
Adding a top-six center gives Philadelphia some options. Especially if they decide to move Zegras over to the wing. Philadelphia's wing depth, particularly on the left side, is not the best. Acquiring a center solves a major need at the top of the lineup. And it can allow Zegras to fill another major need for this team.
Of course, this is easier said than done. NHL Free Agency did not have many top-six capable centers available. Furthermore, teams are not going to willingly give them up through trade. This rings true moreso this year than last, as nearly every team wants to improve.
The Flyers still have some promising players. Matvei Michkov could breakout as a true superstar in 2025-26. He could create a formidable trio with Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett this upcoming season. With this said, it's worth acknowledging that a move for a better center could help all three of these players reach that next level.
