Jan 06, 2026
3 min read
Maybe Zegras is back on the field, what's the deal like?
Here's part 1 of a two-part Philadelphia Flyers mailbag.Some questions have been slightly edited for format and clarity.Let me go down.
General manager Daniel Breyer and the mastermind have talked about clearing the salary cap later this year and making a big move on free agents this summer.FA class is no more.Most of the good players are signed.What is their backup plan?With Jet Lochenko years away and Matvei Michkov struggling, where and how do they add advanced talent?- D.L.
I guess we could also start with general questions.
Let me address the last part of your question first - I think there's a misconception that the Flyers don't have "high-end" talent right now.Do they have Connor McDavid or Nathan McKinnon on their roster?No. But they still have several players — Trevor Zegras, Travis Konecny, Travis Sanheim and (when healthy) Tyson Forrester — that any NHL team would love to have on its roster.And of course, they still believe that Michkov and Porter Martone will eventually become stars
And while I'm sure they're a little disappointed that next year's free agent class already looks small, they haven't based their entire rebuild plan on simply hoping they can land a top free agent.They are also in the process of drafting and developing all the players they have acquired over the past three years under Briere in an attempt to re-establish the franchise as a place where players want to play.This is just as important as having salary cap space (which Briere probably doesn't have enough credit to sort out).
There are sure to be other high profile players hitting the stock market sometime in the next year or two, similar to Kevin Hughes last month.Many of those players will have some level of trade protection in their contracts.The Flyers hope they have a weapon in those kinds of conversations, and players around the league see Philadelphia as a place they want to play if they sign a deal.
It's a difficult path they've chosen, of course.However, what they can't do is try to rush through a process that they think will take time.
Do they still see Zegras as a potential center or is he locked into the left wing?- Joe D.
No one has said that the Zegras-at-center experiment is over.However, because it did not last long, he is collecting points on the wing and the club can re-sign Christian Dvorak, I think it is safe to say that they will allow Zegras to slide as a true center if they want, at least in the future.This happened in their game against the Rangers on 20 December, where Dvorak was sidelined due to injury.
What does Zegrass' contract extension look like?- Anonymous U.
I've been asked this question on a podcast or two, and my best guess is always about five years and $45 million for a $9 million AAV.Again, that's just a guess, as the Flyers organization tends to keep these types of things close to the vest.
From Zegra's perspective, this type of contract would allow him to build his career with a team that appears to be on the brink of contention and with him as a key cog.Assuming Dvorak gets an extension, Zegras can continue to play with a center with whom he has chemistry on and off the ice.And, it would allow him to sign another monstrous contract while he's still just 30 years old.
This would work for the Flyers because they have plenty of salary cap space and obviously need Zegras' skills.An AAV of $9 million would make Zegras the team's highest-paid player, but that's only slightly more than Konecny's AAV of $8.75 million.
Whatever they come up with, I still see expansion as inevitable.
Aside from Martone, which prospect will be the most pleasant surprise on the Flyers' regular roster three years from now, and why?—Joshua C.
Can I go with the Denver Bucky? He's only played in six NHL games so far (two assists, both in his NHL debut), but he immediately impressed Rick Tocchet and found a way to make an impact on a nightly basis. In fact, that's the reason he got the Flyers call-up in the first place - he was considered the AHL Phantoms' most consistent player. This is often the biggest hurdle to overcome for any player just starting his career. It's too early to say he's in the NHL because I'd love toto take advantage of some of the opportunities he gets, but still exceeds expectations.
Jack Berglund (second round, No. 51 draft, 2024) is another prospect who appears to be headed in the right direction.His biggest center is the captain of Sweden at the World Junior Championship, where he recorded three goals and four assists for seven points in five games.
Do you think Brill will switch to center this season if they stay in the playoffs?It's becoming increasingly clear that their biggest vulnerability is in the middle.- Robin A.
I believe they want to try, and so it has been reported.However, I also said at the time of the report that they weren't looking for anything other than a fourth-line center, and I wonder if the line's newfound effectiveness changed the plan.Credit to Rodrigo Avles, because he can be dragged by ineffective winger Nick Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway, now replaced in the active lineup by Nikita Grabenkin and Karl Grundstrom.
Kevin, do you agree that the team is ready for the playoffs and will not be traded at the deadline?If you do, will they add anything?- Matthew S.
You don't have to listen to me about whether they want to go to the playoffs. Briere and Keith Jones have said that many times.Since they are in the standings, that certainly hasn't changed.
If it is in a similar position in March, it may end on the last day.The Flyers aren't on the list of obvious candidates for a sale that won't affect the team's depth, and they won't be in a position to lease high-end assets in the future, which could prevent them from adding another spot.
My best guess at this point is that they'll buy a piece or two, but no one should get too excited.
Are there any concerns from Flyers management about McCoff?His slow start was attributed to poor officiating and the new system.Do the Flyers still see him as a potential 90-point player?- Joseph G.
I never felt they were too concerned, no.I will say that I think he was underestimated as he was when he came to camp, and because of that the management felt that it was a long process that was taken to bring him back up to speed.I think there is a certain amount of sympathy for Michkov, given everything he has been through in his young life, from being in the limelight at a young age to losing his father shortly before the organization.
There was also talk of Michkov's next contract.If he wants a significant payday in the summer of 2027, when his entry-level contract is up, he'll have to show between now and then that he's eligible for it.That should be an incentive for him to partake in a good offseason, right?
Can you explain the contrast between hilarious on-ice tweets and obnoxious playoff hockey when players show tons of personality, 99.9 percent of the time, media interviews like milquetoast?Is there an unwritten rule about being a smooth professional and not showing personality?- Scott G.
At least that's how it's always been in the last few decades, right?Actors don't say anything too controversial on camera, in part because it's easy to take things out of context, especially online.
Take the Sean Couturier-Michkov incident in November.Couturier was honest enough to say that Michkov "if you can't score every game, you have to find a way to help the team win in other ways." However, someone on social media took the context out of the question (it was actually me who asked it) and it became a whole thing.While many took this to mean that the fashion designer "hated" Michkova, the story eventually came back to him, the outlet said.
Most NHL players are better off without a camera pointed at their face.Personally, I (and other journalists) try as much as possible to get the players one to one in the locker room - not only because they are more open and chatty and interesting, but also because you can clarify some things that are not on the record or in the background.
