On one hand, the Flyers are very clearly in the market for a top-line center. We know this because we saw them try to give Leo Carlsson $15 million per year on a restricted free agent offer sheet over the summer.
Sean Couturier has had a great career in Philadelphia, but he’s not a top-line guy anymore.
Trevor Zegras has a ton of talent, but his all-around game is not suited for a No. 1 role, and he might not even be at his best at center.
There is a need, not only for a center, but also for somebody that can just be a difference-maker offensively. As good as they have been defensively over the past few years, generating offense has been a major problem.
Scheifele would obviously help fix that.
The question would be whether or not Scheifele, as a 33-year-old center, would fit into the timeframe the Flyers are currently on. They were a playoff team a year ago, and reached the second round, but it might not be a team that is ready to seriously contend right now. Would Scheifele get them closer to taking a big step?