There are a lot of quintessential Flyers out there — they just don't play for the Flyers.

The playoffs are in full swing, but it’s officially the offseason for the Philadelphia Flyers, and fans are anxiously waiting for the inevitable flurry of changes to unravel. Who will be the next president of hockey operations? Will Danny Brière earn the full-time role as general manager? What will happen with Kevin Hayes this offseason?

The first domino has yet to fall, so at this point, all imaginable scenarios are nothing more than make-believe. But sometimes make-believe can be a lot of fun. So why not take a look into a parallel universe where players who would make perfect Flyers are actually Flyers?

There are quite a few ideal Flyers who have never donned an orange and black sweater floating around the NHL, and for some of these players, the possibility of joining the Flyers one day isn’t totally off the table (though very far from likely). So in this make-believe world, we’re breaking down the best would-be Flyers currently playing for other teams.

Matthew Tkachuk

The older Tkachuk brother is undoubtedly the quintessential Flyer. The 25-year-old is one of the most despised pests in the NHL, but he’s also one of the best overall players in the world. Had it not been for Connor McDavid’s ridiculous 153-point campaign, Tkachuk could potentially be a top candidate to win the Hart Memorial Trophy.

In the regular season, Tkachuk logged 40 goals and 69 assists for 109 total points. He also racked up 123 penalty minutes, which tied for fourth-most in the entire NHL. A classic case of “you hate to play against him, but you love to have him on your team.”

Could the Flyers actually get him? Probably not. Their best shot to acquire Tkachuk was last offseason when the Calgary Flames were actively looking to trade him. The Flames wound up trading Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for a massive haul, and he won’t become a free agent again until 2030, when his eight-year, $76,000,000 contract expires.

Brady Tkachuk

Shocking, right? Both Tkachuk brothers play a style perfect for the Flyers. They’re tough, but highly skilled. And while Matthew is just now entering his prime, Brady still has plenty of room to grow. Which is frankly incredible given how impactful he’s already become.

The feisty winger is coming off the first point-per-game season of his career, logging 83 points in 82 games. And at just 23 years old, Brady has already taken the role of captain for the Ottawa Senators. Kind of impressive. Word on the street is the Flyers could use a captain.

Could the Flyers actually get him? In all likelihood, no. Like his older brother, Brady has already inked a long-term contract. His deal won’t expire until 2028, and given the Senators’ recent rise to becoming a competitive club thanks to the emergence of Tim Stützle and other young players (plus the addition of Claude Giroux), it’s hard to imagine him dipping out so soon.

Jonathan Marchessault

Marchessault scratched and clawed his way to relevance as a Golden Misfit during the Vegas Golden Knights’ inaugural campaign, and he’s established himself as a cornerstone player in Sin City ever since. While small in stature, Marchessault plays like he’s 6-foot-5, completely unafraid to get his hands dirty in front of the net or stir the pot after the whistle.

As a member of the Golden Knights, Marchessault has logged 150 goals and 198 assists for 348 total points in 432 games. He currently holds franchise records in just about every major statistical category, and he even ranks second in penalty minutes behind only Brayden McNabb.

Could the Flyers actually get him? It’s not impossible! Marchessault is on course to become an unrestricted free agent next summer when his contract expires. But at 32 years old, Marchessault would probably prefer to re-sign with Vegas and chase a Stanley Cup rather than join the Flyers and embark on a rebuild. And would he even fit with the Flyers’ timeline? Probably not.

Tom Wilson

An enormous, skilled forward with a scoring touch and a mean streak. Does that remind you of anyone? Maybe someone by the name of Eric Lindros? Alex Ovechkin certainly thinks so.

Wilson is one of the most divisive players in the NHL thanks to the laundry list of questionable hits he’s dished out over the years. But the 6-foot-4, 220-pound mountain of a man has also developed into a legitimate offensive threat in recent seasons, and despite coming off an injury-ravaged 2022-23 season, it's hard to argue he wouldn't be a welcome addition to just about any team, even taking his controversial style of play into consideration.

The discourse surrounding Wilson is always spirited. He’s mastered playing the heel role, and there are few markets that would embrace a character like Wilson quite like Philadelphia would.

Could the Flyers actually get him? Maybe! Wilson will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 season, and he plays the exact type of hockey that would help reinvigorate the fan base in Philadelphia. If he does indeed hit the open market next summer, it wouldn’t be even remotely surprising if the Flyers show interest. But it’s also hard to imagine the Capitals wouldn’t entertain the possibility of re-signing him when the time comes.

Darnell Nurse

Nurse would’ve been a dream for the Flyers’ previous leadership group. He’s big, plays with a ton of grit, and can chip in offensively. He’s coming off his best statistical season as an NHLer with 12 goals and 43 total points. Has he benefited from playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? Definitely. But he’s still a solid piece on the back end.

Also, he’s the nephew of Philadelphia Eagles great Donovan McNabb! So that’s something.

Could the Flyers actually get him? Probably not. For one, Nurse is under contract with the Edmonton Oilers until the summer of 2030. And even in a world where the Oilers opt to trade the 6-foot-4 defender, he’s simply not worth his annual cap hit of $9.25 million. He’s a nice piece, but not quite worth that kind of coin.

Brendan Gallagher

Gallagher was basically Travis Konecny before Travis Konecny. He’s a smaller winger at 5-foot-9, but plays with the heart of a lion. If there’s ever a scramble after the whistle during a Montreal Canadiens game, it’s basically a guarantee Gallagher is somewhere in the middle of it.

Gallagher’s play has fallen off as of late. He managed just eight goals and 14 points in 37 games this season, but he also battled injuries throughout the campaign, which undoubtedly had an impact on his overall performance. Still, he's a revered veteran on a young Habs team looking to return to relevance.

Could the Flyers actually get him? The odds are very low. For one, he’s under contract for four more years at an annual cap hit of $6.5 million. He also turns 31 in May. And if the Canadiens eventually choose to trade him to a contender, the Flyers probably won’t fit the criteria as they’re just now getting set to commence a rebuild. Womp womp.

Jake Middleton

There's just something so Flyers about Middleton. Perhaps it's his blue-collar upbringing, or the mustache that makes him look like Philadelphia legend Jim Croce. Whatever it may be, he has "Flyers" written all over him.

Granted, he's not the type of player that'll bring fans out of their seats. On the contrary, his game couldn't be less flashy, and Flyers fans would probably come to resent him for it. But, to his credit, he plays with a ton of courage and never backs down from a fight. He's ended up being a key cog on the Minnesota Wild penalty kill, and even ranked second on the club with 155 blocked shots during the regular season.

Sounds like a guy John Tortorella would probably enjoy.

Could the Flyers actually get him? Maybe one day. He's under contract for two more years after this season at a modest cap hit of $2.45 million (which might even be a little generous given his offensive deficiencies). Bringing him in as a glue guy on a more competitive team certainly seems like a Flyers thing to do.

Brandon Tanev

Now, this would be fun. Tanev has become one of the NHL's most infections personalities thanks to his new ritual of making the weirdest faces possible in his headshot photos. And he's become a pretty exciting player for the Seattle Kraken, too.

Tanev is known for his speed — something the Flyers could certainly use more of — which helps him thrive as a quality penalty killer. He was one of only three Kraken players to log over 200 minutes of shorthanded ice time this season.

Tanev will never be mistaken for an All-Star talent, but his shorthanded prowess would probably be a nice addition to the Flyers' 26th-ranked penalty kill.

Could the Flyers actually get him? Probably not for a while, if ever. Tanev has two more years remaining on his contract with Seattle after this season, and given how much he's endeared himself with the Kraken fan base, it wouldn't be surprising if he opts to remain in the Pacific Northwest even longer. He's also 31 years old, so he's not getting any younger.

Marcus Foligno

If there’s one thing the Flyers have historically loved, it’s hits. And Foligno sure does throw a lot of hits. He ranked 14th in the regular season with 237 hits out of 951 players, and that’s despite missing 18 games. So that’s pretty cool, eh?

The Flyers’ infatuation with players who log a bunch of hits has been detrimental to their overall success for years, but Foligno is more than just a tough guy who hits people. He’s actually pretty good as a bottom-six winger. Foligno scored 23 goals last season, and while his numbers have dipped this season, he’s still been the heart and soul of the Minnesota Wild. There’s a lot of Wayne Simmonds in Foligno’s game and the way he leads his squad.

Could the Flyers actually get him? It’s not totally out of the realm of possibility. Foligno will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, and it wouldn’t be shocking in any way if the Flyers showed interest in him. It also wouldn’t be shocking if Foligno ultimately ends up re-signing with the Wild, though. He’s one of the more respected voices in that Minnesota locker room, and it sure feels like the Wild love the role he plays as a protector of their young stars.

Johnny Gaudreau

Too soon?

Gaudreau would be a perfect Flyer. He possesses so many of the traits the Flyers currently seek — the high-end talent, the likability, the speed — it’s all there! Yeah, this past season was rough for Gaudreau with the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he still managed to register 74 points in 80 games despite playing on one of the worst teams in hockey.

Oh, and he’s also from South Jersey. So there’s that.

Could the Flyers actually get him? They had their chance. And then they blew it. Last offseason, Gaudreau was an unrestricted free agent, and it was the world’s worst-kept secret that he preferred to come home and play for the Orange & Black. Instead, former Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher failed to clear cap space ahead of the start of free agency, limiting the Flyers’ options. The rest is history. Gaudreau signed a seven-year contract with Columbus, and now it’s unlikely he’ll ever play a game for the Flyers.

Oh, what could’ve been.