Unfortunately for the Philadelphia Flyers, their bold play to sign Anaheim Ducks star Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet has been matched and foiled, leaving them with heaps of cap space over a week after the opening of NHL free agency. Now what?

The Carlsson offer sheet attempt proved to us that the Flyers are willing and able to take great risks to acquire a young, talented player that gives the team a major shot in the arm at the center position.

While not on the same level as Carlsson, the Flyers do have some alternatives available worth considering, and one certainly stands out amongst that group.

Also an offer-sheet eligible restricted free agent, 2023 No. 3 overall pick Adam Fantilli remains without a contract from the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team mired in its own roster controversy between the Zach Werenski situation, as well as talk of Kirill Marchenko being a trade chip, too.

At the end of the day, Fantilli, 21, has come close, but has yet to make, the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Blue Jackets, and it doesn't help that he's already played for three--yes, three--head coaches in his three seasons.

To that end, we can't be too surprised that the former University of Michigan star has yet to produce a 60-point campaign in the NHL, despite scoring 31 goals in 2024-25.

Because his breakout hasn't happened yet, Fantilli will undoubtedly cost less than the $18 million Carlsson received, though $15- or $16 million could certainly be in the cards. And if the Flyers make that decision, they will have done plenty of research to make themselves comfortable with pulling the trigger... again.

Notably, Chris Shero, the grandson of legendary Flyers head coach Fred Shero, works for Columbus as an amateur scout. Younger brother Kyle has been scouting for the Flyers since the 2022-23 season.

Additionally, Cameron Briere, the youngest of Flyers general manager Danny Briere's three sons, works for the Blue Jackets as an assistant video coach, a role he held with the ECHL Maine Mariners for four seasons.

If the Flyers needed a scouting report on Fantilli supplementary to their own research, they don't need to look very far to get it.

Briere and Co. have already shown that they are willing to spend the cash, part with the draft picks, and disregard the norm around the NHL in pursuit of a No. 1 center, and Fantilli's situation is no different from Carlsson's, at the end of the day.

Fantilli, even more so than Carlsson, is the kind of buccaneering power forward who would really benefit from having teammates like Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov, and the Flyers aren't having issues with players asking to leave or managing the salary cap.

If Fantilli is even remotely open to leaving, the Flyers shouldn't have a hard time selling the former No. 3 pick on Philadelphia with an offer sheet pitch.

The Flyers have a clear need for a puck transporter, finisher, and speedster down the middle, and the Canadian pivot checks every box.

Fantilli's playmaking will have to develop some, but at worst, the Flyers have the supporting cast capable of taking care of that for him.

If the Flyers are still open to utilizing the offer sheet, their next target is obvious.