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Flyers NHL Trade Deadline Recap: Grades For Every Move
The Philadelphia Flyers never fit the mold as traditional sellers ahead of the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline. They still occupy the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division standings. The organization has also openly spoken against the idea of tanking as a part of their rebuild.
Danny Briere was active ahead of his first deadline as general manager. The Flyers subtracted Sean Walker and Wade Allison. They added Erik Johnson, Denis Gurianov, and Ryan Johansen. They maneuvered with draft capital and salary flexibility.
Flyers at 2024 NHL Trade Deadline
The success of the 2023-24 season under John Tortorella has stunned the NHL. The Flyers have exceeded all reasonable expectations. The surprise pushed Briere to tweak his deadline strategy while still maintaining the long-term focus of the organization’s rebuild.
The Flyers did give up minimal draft capital to acquire Johnson. They also passed on opportunities to make major deals involving Scott Laughton or Nick Seeler. Both decisions indicate some level of priority on a playoff berth and the idea of young players gaining playoff experience.
They did not execute like most would’ve predicted entering the season, mainly because of the team’s success in 2023-24. The option to move veteran players, most notably Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen, doesn’t disappear after the trade deadline, however. Briere has the upcoming offseason to discuss potential deals for two players under contract for multiple years beyond 2023-24.
Is the rebuild on a better track than it was entering the 2023-24 season?
“I believe so. I believe the players have put us in that better position, not just the players, the coaches. I think that this group have put us in that better position (with) the way they’ve coached, the way they’ve played, so I see it as a good problem that they’ve put me in maybe a little tougher position having to trade a player (Walker) that was really well-respected and played extremely well for us.” -Danny Briere
How did Briere handle his first NHL Trade Deadline in charge?