The Philadelphia Flyers are unlikely to make a big splash in NHL free agency this year, though it would be unwise to put it past them to chase a feel-good story while addressing a position of need at the same time.

In this year's free agent class, the center position is probably the weakest, unless you're looking for bottom-six depth.

The Flyers, who traded away Garnet Hathaway and Nick Deslauriers, and will probably let Rodrigo Abols walk, need to get some fourth-line grit back, as well as someone who can play center when they need it.

One player who already knows the organization and locker room intimately is Scott Laughton.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, Laughton, 32, is part of a small crop of veteran centers drawing interest from teams, including the Flyers.

"Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Toronto, Utah, Vancouver. These teams were all around Noel Acciari, Erik Haula, Boone Jenner, Scott Laughton, Colton Sissons (Nashville reunion?), Kevin Stenlund. I believe Utah still lusts after Vincent Trocheck, who prefers the east. Kings tried to get Haula before Laughton, but he was hurt at the time. They like him," Friedman reported for Sportsnet.

If the Kings really do like Erik Haula more than Laughton, it's more likely than not they simply bring in Haula and let Laughton go.

That opens the door for Laughton to return to Philadelphia, with the Flyers in perpetual search of center depth.

The Flyers initially parted ways with Laughton in the 2025 trade that yielded the Toronto Maple Leafs' 2027 first-round pick, as well as prospect Nikita Grebenkin, who has already made a name for himself in the Flyers organization.

After just 10 goals, six assists, and 16 points in 63 games across two seasons with the Maple Leafs, Laughton was dealt to the Kings for a measly 2026 third-round pick as Toronto's playoff aspirations were more than dashed.

The longtime Flyers forward, now a veteran of 745 NHL regular season games, had his homecoming with the Maple Leafs, and it didn't work.

Laughton never necessarily wanted to leave the Flyers anyway, and he could find himself back in Philadelphia at the perfect time, now that the team just made the playoffs for the first time since 2020.

To that end, it wouldn't be like Laughton is sacrificing the playoffs to return to the Flyers; he can chase both now.

Whether or not he and the Flyers can make a reunion happen remains to be seen, but there appears to be at least tentative interest from the team's side of things.