97.5 The Fanatic Flyers Roundup: Laughton Trade Rumors, Konecny at NHL All-Star Weekend
The NHL All-Star Game awaits this weekend, but fans of the Philadelphia Flyers will most likely fixate on the team’s current five-game losing streak and the looming NHL Trade Deadline on March 8. Scott Laughton entered the fray of big names around the league involved in trade rumors this week.
- Sunday 1/28- Tuesday 2/6- NHL All-Star Break
- Friday 2/2- NHL Skills Competition
- Saturday 2/3/24- NHL All-Star Game
Travis Konecny: NHL All-Star Game
The Flyers have one representative at Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Travis Konecny will make his second career All-Star appearance in his eighth NHL season. The right winger has scored 22 goals and added 20 assists in 50 games in 2023-24. He is on pace to set career highs in goals and points.
He is also tied for the league lead with five shorthanded goals. Konecny has cooled off since his hot streak from mid-December through mid-January. However, his offensive track record erases any concerns about short-term slumps at this point in his career.
John Tortorella willingly gave Konecny due credit when the league announced the All-Star rosters. However, the veteran head coach had previously spoken his mind about All-Star Weekend when the 2022-23 rosters were announced.
“I don’t even worry about that shit. The whole game, the whole weekend, I don’t even watch it. I think it’s turned into – well, I’ll just leave it at that. I really don’t care.” -John Tortorella (January 2023)
Konecny will participate in the 3-on-3 round robin tournament on Team MacKinnon, captained by Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. He won’t participate in any events during the NHL Skills Competition on Friday night.
Scott Laughton, NHL Trade Deadline
Darren Dreger of TSN believes the Flyers would consider trading Scott Laughton before the NHL Trade Deadline.
The Center market is relatively thin. Hence, the @NHLFlyers are taking calls on Scott Laughton. They’re not eager to trade him but Danny Briere is gauging the interest.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 1, 2024
Danny Briere and the Flyers value the only player on the roster to wear a letter on the deep orange jersey. Laughton has been the subject of trade rumors dating back to 2021. His gritty style lends itself to playoff hockey. However, the organization’s high opinion of him leads them to demand a lofty return package.
If the center market pushes a Stanley Cup contender to offer a lucrative package, Briere could pull the trigger on Laughton. The former 1st-round pick hasn’t met high expectations offensively with five goals and 15 assists this season. The fact that Tortorella hasn’t benched him despite the underwhelming production should tell you exactly how highly he thinks of Laughton.
Don’t expect the Flyers to accept anything less than a 1st-round pick while they continue to emphasize culture as a key part of the organizational rebuild.
Joe Watson: The Original Flyer
The Original Flyer gave The John Kincade Show the honor of a guest appearance at their monthly Frist Friday broadcast. He talked about the legacy of the franchise, his recent Flyers Alumni Game performance, and his new book Thundermouth: Memoirs of a Broad Street Bully.
Watson skated in his last hockey game ever on January 26 after playing for the inaugural Flyers season in 1967-68. He told the story of how the beloved Bullies hammered the famed Soviet Red Army team in 1976 at the Spectrum.
“Clarence Campbell came to Philadelphia to watch the Bullies take on (the Soviet Red Army team) on January 11, 1976. He comes in the dressing room and says, ‘You guys have to uphold the prestige of hockey in North America because the other teams are getting beat and we have to beat the Russians at all costs’… We got a lot of penalties, but we killed them off… It was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. We prevailed.” -Joe Watson
Looking Ahead
After the All-Star festivities pass, the Flyers will finally get the opportunity to wash the terrible taste of their five-game losing streak out of their mouths.
- Tuesday 2/6: @ Florida Panthers, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Thursday 2/8: vs. Winnipeg Jets, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Saturday 2/10: vs. Seattle Seahawks, 7pm on 93.3 WMMR
Download the 97.5 The Fanatic app to hear Tim Saunders and Todd Fedoruk on the flagship radio broadcast of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Philadelphia Flyers Alumni Weekend [VIDEOS, PHOTOS]
