Philadelphia Flyers Offseason Trade Candidates: Mitch Marner

The Toronto Maple Leafs have built one of the best top lines in the NHL with Auston Matthews in the middle over the past eight seasons. Mitch Marner has flourished at right wing with over a point per game in 576 career regular-season games (91 points per 82 games).

Is the 27-year-old star a fit for the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers?

97.5 The Fanatic: Ongoing Series of Philadelphia Flyers Offseason Trade Candidates

The former fourth-overall pick set a career high with 99 points (30 goals, 69 assists) in 2022-23. He stayed in the top tier of scoring NHL wingers with 85 points in 69 games last season.

Marner has developed into a key weapon on both special teams units for the Maple Leafs. He’s also built a great reputation as a two-way player. He finished third in Selke Trophy voting as the NHL’s best defensive forward, an award that wingers don't frequently compete for.

The Ontario native has also scored 50 points in 57 career playoff games. The perception of his playoff performance, for better or for worse, is shaped by the failure of the Leafs to make a deep playoff run.

The frustration has mounted for a franchise that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since 1967 in the final season of the Original Six era.

The intensity of the Toronto market separates it from any other in the NHL. When the Maple Leafs lose eight playoff series in nine tries, the pressure to make changes heightens drastically.

The scrutiny has brought criticism to their top-heavy salary cap allocation during the era of Brendan Shanahan as President of Hockey Operations.

Marner, Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares earn big money, which sometimes prevents the Maple Leafs from adding gritty depth pieces with an eye on the playoffs.

While the Leafs ill aim to extend Marner, moving him in the final season of a contract worth $10.9 million in average annual value (AAV) might become a necessity. The conversation on TSN in Canada even mentioned selling Marner for “pennies on the dollar” because of the unique circumstances.

A star scorer in his prime might become available below market value. The Flyers lack the top-end talent and the offensive firepower that Mitch Marner brings to an NHL lineup. What is Danny Briere waiting for? 

While Marner has broken out as one of the NHL's top right wingers, Travis Konecny has planted himself right behind a player of his same age and draft class. The long-time Flyer put an underwhelming stretch of his career underwhelming behind him with 61 points in 60 games in 2022-23 and 68 points in 76 games in 2023-24.

Konecny probably won’t match Marner’s offensive output in upcoming seasons. However, he brings a similar skill set on the penalty killer and dynamic ability as a playmaker and goal-scorer from the wing.

Related Content: Reevaluating The Flyers Rebuild After The 2023-24 Season

The Flyers also value his intensity on the ice and his leadership in the dressing room. They will likely extend Konecny during the 2024 offseason on a long-term contract worth roughly $8-9 million in AAV.

A rebuilding team with a hole down the middle and question marks in the future of their top defensive pair won’t allocate their cap resources to land both Konecny and Marner.

The Flyers have given every indicator that they value Konecny as part of their long-term future. The in-house option that requires less resources will override the tempting lure of Mitch Marner.

The Philadelphia Flyers currently own 10 picks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Danny Briere will make his first selection at the Las Vegas Sphere in the 12th-overall spot. The Flyers also own the first-round pick of the Florida Panthers.

The first round will take place on Friday, June 28 at 7pm EST. Rounds 2-7 will take place on Saturday, June 29 beginning at 11:30am EST.

The Flyers have sold at four consecutive trade deadlines. They’ve stockpiled an impressive arsenal of picks to restock the prospect cupboard and provide ammo for trades.

One of the 10 picks, a second-round pick acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets, could be used either in 2024 or 2025. It will not be determined until after the draft begins.

The Flyers also currently own two picks in each of the first two rounds in 2025.

Danny Briere and assistant general manager Brent Flahr will easily identify needs up and down a flawed roster during the rebuild. However, most players in the NHL Draft are 18 or about to turn 18 before the upcoming season.

Most of them stay in junior hockey, play at the NCAA level, or play professionally overseas in the seasons immediately following the draft.

Organizational needs can change quickly, and selecting the “best player available” provides the best long-term strategy.

The unrelenting passion of Philadelphia sports fans sometimes creates conversation about the local teams moving up in their respective drafts to land a crown jewel of the first round.

Trades in the top half of the first round aren’t nearly as common in the NHL Draft as they are in other sports, however. Deals throughout draft weekend are much likelier to include current NHL players. Front office executives have the opportunity to negotiate with important league personnel all in one place.

Related Content: Reevaluating The Flyers Rebuild After The 2023-24 Season

Briere, Flahr, and the Philadelphia Flyers front office will also consider the priority of the rebuild to find the high-end skill players who can skate at the top of the lineup for a Stanley Cup contender.

They’ve passed on the opportunity to bottom out with sights on higher draft lottery odds, so they might consider taking chances of less certain players with higher ceilings and lower basements if they’re picking 12th.

Defenseman, London Knights (OHL)

Keith Jones respects the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League as much as any junior program in the world.

His friend and former teammate Dale Hunter runs the organization to prepare players for the NHL and other professional opportunities.

The Flyers drafted Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey out of London in 2023.

Could Sam Dickinson follow in the footsteps of his two former teammates?

Left Winger, US National Development Team Program (USHL)

Eiserman became the latest top prospect with a big year offensively for the US National Team Development Program.

The Flyers have selected Joel Farabee, Cam York, and Cutter Gauthier with first-round picks out of the USNTDP in recent drafts.

All three went directly to NCAA hockey in their first seasons after getting drafted. Eiserman will attend Boston University next season.

Center, Guelph Storm (OHL)

Craig Button of TSN mocked Jett Luchanko to the Flyers in the 12th-overall spot. The 17-year-old averaged over a point per game in the OHL last season. His performance helped him rise through draft boards despite beginning the season with less of a reputation.

The Flyers will search for players who can reach the high ceiling of a top-line forward. They could take a chance on Luchanko if he’s available.

Center, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Catton broke out offensively at the junior level right before reaching draft eligibility. He scored 116 points in 2023-24 in the Western Hockey League, among the top junior leagues in Canada.

The Flyers would love to see the high-scoring center slip to the 12th-overall spot. However, most mock drafts have him off the board in the top 10.

Center, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Injuries limited Lindstrom to only 32 WHL games in 2023-24. However, scouts know the Canadian Hockey League (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) better than any other talent pool that produces top NHL Draft prospects.

The limited sample size might not factor in as much into the evaluation as it might for an international prospect with less scouting information.

The 6-foot-4 forward might play center or wing in the NHL. If he’s available when the Flyers pick, they’ll unquestionably gush at his size and potential.

Left Winger, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

The Calgary Flames hold the ninth-overall pick. Would they pass on the son of Jarome Iginla, arguably the best player in their franchise history?

If he somehow slips past the Flames, the Flyers will consider Tij Iginla. The industry consensus ranks him in the top half of the first round.

Right Winger, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

The Athletic mocked Beckett Sennecke to the Flyers in the 12th-overall spot. They described him as a “highly skilled winger with size and smooth skating.”

Although a right winger doesn’t fill an organizational void, Briere and Flahr should not pass on the best player available because of a perceived surplus at a position.

The future of some of Philadelphia’s right wingers is anything but certain. Sennecke still has time before he’ll be an NHL contributor. Things change quickly. 

The Flyers also had success drafting Scott Laughton out of Oshawa in 2012.

Center, Jokerit (Liiga, Finland)

The Hockey Writers called Helenius “one of the most well-rounded prospects available in 2024.”

The 5-foot-11 center played in 2023-24 in Liiga in Finland, one of the best professional leagues in the world.

The Flyers likely won’t prioritize NHL-ready prospects as a draft strategy. Helenius might also come off the board before they make their pick.

Defenseman, US National Team Development Program

The Flyers own two first-round picks that will fall at least 19 picks apart. The opportunity allows them to consider players projected in different ranges of the draft.

EJ Emery could be a target with the pick landed in the Claude Giroux trade in March 2022.

The Flyers could also receive an early second-round pick from Columbus, and it’s realistic to land Emery if he slips a few extra sports.

Center, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Corey Pronman projected Cole Beaudoin as a third-line NHL center. He also comes from the heavily-scouted OHL, which doesn’t produce as many surprises as other sources of draft prospects.

Although the Flyers will more likely search for a player with a higher ceiling in the 12th-overall spot, Beaudoin could be a target with Philadelphia’s second selection in the first round.

Defenseman, Calgary Hitmen (WHL) 

Players slip down draft boards every year. The 2024 NHL Draft doesn’t have the typical level of consensus as past drafts.

Carter Yakemchuk will most likely come off the board before the Flyers pick. However, if the opportunity presents itself, Danny Briere should pounce on arguably the best defenseman available in the draft.