Philadelphia Flyers NHL Trade Deadline Candidates: Marc Staal
97.5 The Fanatic will examine Philadelphia Flyers who could potentially be on the move before the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. Danny Briere described their organizational outlook in maintaining the strategy of the rebuild.
“We keep an eye on the future. We’ve said from the beginning we wanted to build a team that was going to be a Stanley Cup contender for years to come and not just a one-in, one-out, one-in, one-out… The eye is still on the future.” -Danny Briere
The Flyers will not fit the traditional definition of sellers at the NHL Trade Deadline, however. Closer analysis can determine which moves do and don’t make sense for the Flyers in 2023-24 and down the road.
“A lot of it will depend on the marketplace. We’re not going to make trades just to make trades. If there’s something that makes sense that we feel makes us better for the future, we’ll strongly consider it.” -Danny Briere
- Sean Walker
- Cam Atkinson
- Rasmus Ristolainen
- Nick Seeler
- Morgan Frost
- Marc Staal
- Sam Ersson
Marc Staal: 2024 NHL Trade Deadline Candidate
The Flyers signed Marc Staal in July 2023 because of his extensive experience playing over 1000 NHL games, including five seasons with the New York Rangers under John Tortorella. He fits the prototype of a player who could move to a contending team to play a depth role, and prospective trade partners will view a prorated $1.1 million cap hit reasonably.
Staal has performed serviceably in 17 games by the advanced numbers in a third-pair role. He also helped the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup Final as a playoff lineup regular just a few months ago. However, the 37-year-old’s mistakes sometimes look glaring even in his 17th NHL season.
The Flyers need to deal Staal because he no longer has a fit on the NHL roster. They unexpectedly acquired an NHL defenseman for a prospect off the roster when they sent Cutter Gauthier to the Anaheim Ducks for Jamie Drysdale.
The addition meant eight NHL defensemen on the active roster. John Tortorella has used lineups with 11 forwards and seven defensemen too frequently since Drysdale came to Philadelphia. Staal’s role as the eighth man on the depth chart is now almost purely intangible.
If Danny Briere deals Sean Walker or Nick Seeler, Staal could play the necessary role as a seventh defenseman. However, the Flyers could also call up Ronnie Attard, Adam Ginning, Emil Andrae, or Louie Belpedio from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to fill that depth role.
If he can get a return for Staal, Briere should pull the trigger without hesitation.
The Flyers dealt Erik Gustafsson for a 7th-round pick in 2021 when the veteran defenseman held essentially no value on the roster in Philadelphia. Staal could likely bring back a 6th-rounder by comparison.
Stay/Go Verdict: Go
Marc Staal has surprisingly solid advanced metrics in 17 games in a 3rd pair for the Flyers (per Natural Stat Trick)
— Colin Newby (@ToNewbyginnings) January 26, 2024
Expected Goal Share: 54.90%
Expected Goals Against per 60: 2.64 (comparable to his rates with the Rangers)
Briere might be able to flip him for a late-round pick
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History of the Philadelphia Flyers in NHL Outdoor Games
The 2017 NHL Stadium Series: A Golden Anniversary
Heinz Field- Pittsburgh, PA
February 25, 2017
Penguins 4, Flyers 2The Penguins had finally ditched the distractions by 2017 and allowed the superior skill of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to take control of their fierce intrastate rivalry. The defending Stanley Cup champions overmatched the Flyers early in the Mike Sullivan era, especially at Heinz Field in a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the two franchises entering the league as part of the NHL expansion wave of 1967.
Sidney Crosby sucked the hope from Philadelphia fans with an early goal, and the Flyers trailed the rest of the game. Any mental edge they might’ve had in the rivalry in past years was completely gone.
2021 NHL Outdoor Games: The Picture-Perfect Moment
Edgewood Tahoe Resort- Stateline, NV
February 21, 2021
Bruins 7, Flyers 3The Covid-19 pandemic slammed the NHL just like it did to everyone else. The 56-game season in 2020-21 wasn’t going to be the most memorable in hockey history no matter how the league handled their business.
One way they tried to compensate for empty arenas was the outdoor doubleheader at Lake Tahoe. The Colorado Avalanche took on the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, Feb. 20.
The Bruins and the Flyers faced off for a rematch of the 2010 Winter Classic on Sunday, Feb. 21. If fans weren’t getting the real experience of an outdoor game, at least they’d see some excellent photographs of a beautiful scene.
The Flyers barely had enough skaters to compete, and a postponement might’ve been a better decision. They were no match for a talented Bruins attack. David Pastrnak scored a hat trick in a 7-3 laugher that wasn’t as close as the score indicated. Carter Hart allowed six goals on 23 shots as one of the first blunders in what turned out to be a miserable season for him and for the Flyers.
2024 NHL Stadium Series: A "Rocky" Effort
MetLife Stadium- East Rutherford, NJ
February 17, 2024
Devils 6, Flyers 3When the NHL announced the 2024 Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium, it looked like the Devils would enter as heavy favorites. An early-season surge from the Flyers thickened the plot against a team that failed to live up to the standard of their breakout season in 2022-23.
John Tortorella and the Flyers stunned the NHL with an excellent effort in 2023-24. They had a great opportunity to reignite a rivalry that became one of the game’s best in the 1990s and 2000s. However, they fell to the Devils 6-3 with a loose defensive effort.
Nico Hischier scored his first of two NHL Stadium Series goals 32 seconds after the opening faceoff. The Flyers trailed the rest of the night and fell to 1-4-1 in outdoor games. The Rangers and the Islanders played a classic the following day at the Meadowlands.
