The headline for the Flyers and general manager Danny Briere this offseason will be: “Ducks match Flyers’ offer sheet for Leo Carlsson.”
And while that’s the main story, there are many layers to the statement, as well as intentions of the Flyers’ front office that show a turning point, and even perhaps the end of the “rebuild” era.
All you have to do is go back to Briere’s pre-draft media availability at which he discussed the Flyers having a smaller number of picks than in previous seasons. Briere stated in so many words that the Flyers have to be able to play the guys that they’ve picked in past drafts.
Enter the Ducks and their GM Pat Verbeek. A quick look at their recent draft history and you’ll see a group of not only rising stars in the NHL, but also solid depth players and pieces that help fill out a lineup. The trouble with that is sometimes you can have too many players.
The Flyers would not have been in position to sign Carlsson to an offer sheet if not for the surplus of talent in Anaheim’s system. Trevor Zegras, who was in need of a fresh start anyway, was somewhat of a product of the Ducks’ surplus. The Flyers benefited greatly from that, adding what they hope will be a centerpiece of their future, a guy who just signed a new four-year contract extension.
Briere took a shot, hoping that Verbeek, with Anaheim’s salary cap issues and all its young talent to pay, would not be able to give Carlsson the $18 million a year that the Flyers offered. In the end, the Ducks matched to retain Carlsson, but Anaheim will have to make some corresponding moves to remain within the salary cap.
The Ducks already had to part ways with 2021 first-round pick Mason McTavish, who was traded to the Blues this offseason, and there’s surely more moves to come. Briere knows that if you use all of your draft picks, and the picks become what you hope, or even if some do while others become serviceable NHL players, there comes a time when you don’t have room to pay all of them or play all of them.
Briere’s goal was to use some of the assets to acquire a position of need, that elusive No. 1 center. And in doing so, leave some room for players like Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Alex Bump and Denver Barkey to grow into roles and not get pushed out by current or former draft picks. Briere does not want the Flyers to become the Ducks, forced to make decisions that are hard but necessary to maintain a successful franchise.
The attempt at Carlsson should be a sign that the Flyers’ brass isn’t afraid to bundle assets to acquire something the team needs to take the next step forward. That recognition in roster building is a great sign going forward.
There is such a thing as too much talent, especially when it all needs to get paid and play at the same time.