3 Flyers Who Should Never Be Traded
The rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers cannot part with these players.
Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports - 3 Flyers Who Should Never Be TradedGM Daniel Briere has said he doesn't want to give up strong assets for a good run. The Philadelphia Flyers are rebuilding their team, even though they sit in a playoff spot. With vital assets in various different positions throughout the roster, here are the top three players they should hold on to.
Travis Sanheim
The Flyers need their defense, especially with the risk of second-line defensemen Sean Walker and Nick Seeler being traded, who both appear on TSNs Trade Bait List released on Jan. 31.
Sanheim is a huge defensive asset, with 83 shots blocked this season, including a whopping 13 in his past 10 games. He also puts up good offensive numbers for a blueliner, at four goals and 23 assists.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported in Oct. 2023 that the Flyers wanted to keep him, after him being on the trade block during the 2023 off-season.
Sanheim is only in the second season of an eight-year, $50M-contract with the Flyers, costing them $6.25M annually. Plus, that contract includes a full no-trade clause in the first four years, and a 12-team no-trade list in the next four.
Safe to say he's staying put for now.
Travis Konecny
The story around the star winger has been controversial, with rumours floating around he could be traded.
But he leads the Flyers in both goals and points this season (24 goals and 21 assists), so the best option right now is to keep him.
Konecny would be their offensive staple in the playoffs, with many assets to lead them through without the complications and risks of making a deal for him.
He a sniper, scoring 14.0 per cent of his whopping 172 shots on goal; a fast skater, bursting to over 20 mph over a hundred times this season; and an offensive leader, spending 44.1 per cent of his ice time in the offensive zone, in the league's 92nd percentile.
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Samuel Ersson
The Hockey News' Dylan Robillard said on X that Briere believes Ersson could be a top-tier goalie in the league.
"I absolutely believe that but you still don't want to put too much pressure early," Briere said.
The 24-year-old Swede is already a top 10 goalie, tied with the Canucks' Thatcher Demko at a 2.47 goals-against average, and a .903 season save percentage.
He also has three shutouts this season, tied for fourth place in the league.
Ersson has also saved 128 shots taken right at the crease this season. He is above average in high-danger saves, with an .837 percentage there.