Could Flyers Look to Senators for Big Shakeup Trade?

Winless in the first seven games for the first time in franchise history, the Philadelphia Flyers have mostly stood idle during the brutal cold streak, making a few minor roster moves and picking up free agent Michael Bunting after four games.

The Flyers have been linked to RFA defenseman Simon Edvinsson on-and-off, but Detroit prefers to keep the 23-year-old stud blueliner, and someone like Dylan Larkin won't approve a trade to Philadelphia.

Going for Carolina's Alexander Nikishin means dealing with a division rival and, well, there isn't much else out there for the Flyers at this point in the season. They are, however, keeping tabs.

On Monday, New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols reported that Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones was in Newark for the Devils' home game against the Ottawa Senators, in addition to another Flyers representative.

The Devils aren't likely to part ways with anyone of consequence who would actually move the needle for the Flyers, but the Senators, who hosted the Flyers on Thursday night, are more likely to be enticed.

Over the years, the Flyers have long been reported to have varying degrees of interest in players like Dylan Cozens, Shane Pinto, and Ridly Greig: three forwards who can play center and embrace the physical aspect of the game if and when necessary.

Greig and Cozens, in particular, are effective agitators who have enough offensive skill to make their opponents pay, too.

Cozens, 25, plays second fiddle to star forward Tim Stutzle down the middle, and has just two assists in six games this year while carrying a $7.1 million cap hit until 2030.

As for Greig, the former 28th overall pick has slotted in on the wing with Stutzle, Cozens, and Pinto occupying the center spots in the top nine.

The Greig family connection - Mark Greig is an amateur scout for the team - works in their favor, and maybe the former first-rounder would do well with an expanded role. Ridly plays with the snarl and pace necessary to help a winless team turn things around.

The 5-1-0 Senators would be careful to make such a seismic move early in the season, but again, the Flyers have the pieces to tempt them into at least considering a deal.

Defenseman Jake Sanderson has missed all but one game this season, and his counterpart, Artem Zub, is yet to make his debut. Getting those two back, as well as adding someone like Rasmus Ristolainen, could make Ottawa's defense a formidable one.

With so many young players or players locked up on contracts with trade protection, it's less clear what Flyers forwards would be of interest to the Senators, though Noah Cates, averaging a career-low 12:18 during this seven-game losing streak, could be a name to watch.

And while the Flyers are enamored with Tyson Foerster and his potential, he has just two goals - his only two points - in his last 17 games, dating back to the start of the playoffs. Would they let that keep them from adding a Cozens, or even Greig?

Much like the Senators altering the alchemy of their roster, the Flyers would also want to be careful of dealing any of their draft picks given how bad they've been this season.

In any case, it's notable that Jones himself traveled to Newark to watch two teams the Flyers have already played once this season.

Short of firing Rick Tocchet, which is very unlikely to happen, making a trade to shake things up is the next avenue the Flyers can explore to try and right the ship.