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NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Linked to Former 2nd Overall Pick
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- NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Linked to Former 2nd Overall Pick
After several swings and misses over the summer and a start to the season that saw them lose nine straight, the pressure is on the Philadelphia Flyers to right the ship and improve the roster in line with the franchise's heightened expectations.
Since their season-opening nine-game skid, the Flyers have surprisingly won two straight, facing two tough opponents in the Ottawa Senators and Colorado Avalanche.
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For a good chunk of the season thus far, the Flyers have been forced to play without one or multiple key veterans, a group of injured players that includes Rasmus Ristolainen, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Cam York, and Tyson Foerster.
In the wake of the absences of Ristolainen, Tippett, Konecny, and Foerster, in particular, the Flyers have gotten strong early returns from prospects like Oliver Bonk , Alex Bump, Cole Knuble, while Matvei Michkov has continued to show that he's willing and capable of driving the bus for the team offensively.
The bottom line is that the above injured players haven't been badly missed, with the Flyers escaping their nightmarish slump without them and instead relying on greatly inexperienced youth to get the job done.
There are inherent risks to moving on from more experienced players, of course, but if the right deal presents itself, the Flyers could jettison some of their wingers in order to upgrade the roster elsewhere.
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Flyers linked to Seattle's Matty Beniers
In a recent report for Daily Faceoff, NHL insider Anthony Di Marco reports that the Flyers are now pondering roster changes after flipping the switch these last two games, with the winger position, in particular, in need of some clearing out.
"According to a team source, something is eventually going to "have to give" with the Flyers' crowd of wingers. It could very well lead to the team exploring trade avenues for more than one winger to try and find a top-six center," Di Marco wrote.
Di Marco noted that players like Konecny (NMC) and Tippett (10-team no-trade) have drawn a consistent level of trade interest, but their respective layers of trade protection make a deal more complicated.
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Foerster, however, does not have trade protection, and according to Di Marco, might have to be the primary lure if the Flyers were to negotiate for one of their trade targets, Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken.
"One name DFO has heard the Flyers like is Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, though there is no indication at this time that GM Jason Botterill wants to move the 2021-second-overall pick. Speaking with a Kraken source last week, DFO was told that the Kraken do like Foerster; though that isn't a player the Flyers want to give up, it would be a 'conversation starter,' according to a team source," Di Marco said.
"Tippett along with a center prospect like Jett Luchanko, would be more of an appetizing package for a player like Beniers from a Flyers' perspective, DFO was told."
It's long been no secret how much the Flyers covet Foerster, a soon-to-be-25-year-old winger who has scored 20 goals in each of the two full NHL seasons he's played, in addition to scoring 13 times in just 29 regular season games last year.
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The Flyers rewarded the 2020 first-round pick with an eight-year, $56.8 million ($7.1 million AAV) extension in the offseason, but dating back to the start of the playoffs, Foerster has just two goals, his only two points, in his last 20 games.
Given his struggles, it would only make sense that the Flyers would consider flipping him for an upgrade down the middle in the form of Beniers.
How Beniers fits the Flyers
Oct 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers (10) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Beniers, 23, is the highest-paid player on the Kraken roster, with a $7.142 million cap hit through 2031, but the 2021 No. 2 overall pick hasn't quite reached his full potential at the NHL level just yet.
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In four full NHL seasons, Beniers has scored 20 goals three times, but reached the 50-point threshold only twice, including his career-high 24 goals and 57 points as a rookie in 2022-23.
With players like Berkly Catton, prospect Jake O'Brien, and Shane Wright all in line for bigger opportunities, the Kraken have no real reason to hold onto Beniers if they are presented with a suitable offer.
Adding a stud winger entering or in their prime would be a nice boost for the Kraken, who will soon need to replace pending free agent Jared McCann, who is now 30 years old, and captain Jordan Eberle, who will be 38 years old when his contract expires in 2028.
With Trevor Zegras shifting to the wing yet again, Beniers would arrive in Philadelphia as the de facto No. 1 center, and his offensive responsibilities wouldn't be as great with the Flyers as they are with the Kraken with the amount of talent the Flyers have up front.
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Beniers, a strong two-way center, owns a career 13.8% shooting percentage and is a smooth skater, but creating his own offense has been a challenge at this level.
Paired with someone like Michkov, the Michigan product can leverage his defensively responsible play and efficient scoring effectively.
This wouldn't be the first time the Flyers have been connected to Beniers, and if the circumstances surrounding the team persist, it certainly won't be the last.
At least on paper, a deal like this makes perfect sense for both teams.
