The Philadelphia Flyers have been making some smart moves recently to set themselves up for success in the coming years. One of the biggest moves was trading their longtime captain, Claude Giroux, to the Florida Panthers during the 2021-22 season.
Even though it was tough to say goodbye to Giroux, it was the right move since he wanted to join a team with a shot at winning.
While Giroux’s time with the Panthers was short—he signed with the Ottawa Senators the next offseason—the trade turned out to be a win for the Flyers, mainly because they got forward Owen Tippett in return.
When Tippett joined the Flyers, he was a young player with great potential but hadn’t really broken through with the Panthers. But since coming to Philly, the 2017 tenth-overall draft pick has come into his own.
Tippett had a solid 2022-23 season, scoring 27 goals and racking 49 points in 77 games. Building on that success, he set career highs the following season with 28 goals and 25 assists, totaling 53 points.
His strong play earned him an eight-year, $49.6 million contract extension in January, locking him in as a vital part of the Flyers’ future. And this trade has paid off for the Flyers, especially since they also got a first-round and third-round pick in the deal.
Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season, Tippett is one of the players everyone’s excited to watch. At just 25 years old, he’s still got room to grow, and fans are eager to see how much more he can bring to the team.
The Flyers have been busy securing other key players, too. This offseason, they signed star forward Travis Konecny to an eight-year, $70 million contract.
Not to mention, they also signed Garnet Hathaway for two more years, showing that GM Daniel Briere is serious about keeping the team’s core players locked in.
Another player who might be next in line for a long-term deal is defenseman Cam York. York had a breakout season in 2023-24, setting new personal bests with 10 goals, 20 assists, and 30 points.
York also made his presence felt on defense with 76 hits and 174 blocks. With his potential to become a top-pairing defenseman, it makes sense for the Flyers to extend his contract before it runs out at the end of next season.
The Flyers’ new core is starting to take shape. Alongside Tippett, Konecny, and possibly York, the team welcomes Matvei Michkov, who recently arrived in the U.S. and is already skating with the team.
Michkov’s arrival is exciting, and fans will soon see him in Flyers gear at the upcoming rookie exhibitions against the New York Rangers.
Fans can catch these Philadelphia Flyers games on September 13 and 14 at the PPL Center in Allentown. They’ll also get a glimpse of promising talents like Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey, and Jett Luchanko in action.
In addition to building their team, the Flyers also give back to the community. Flyers Charities recently donated $200,000 to help two local 11-year-olds, Natalie Van Druff and Lilly Walter, renovate their street hockey rink in New Hanover Township.
This donation paid for major upgrades like new flooring, boards, benches, and nets, turning an old, unsafe rink into a much nicer place to play. And that’s amazing, as this project shows that the Flyers are committed to supporting hockey at the grassroots level.
While there’s still a lot of work to do, the Flyers are putting the pieces together for a bright future. With a mix of young talent, smart trades, and long-term contracts, the team is building a foundation that should keep them competitive for years to come.
As training camp approaches, there’s plenty of reason for Flyers fans to be excited about what’s ahead.
