In their stellar 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers landed their next superstar in Russian sniper Matvei Michkov. From then on, they seemed to nail every pick; London Knights blueliner Oliver Bonk should be a top-four player, and while Brandon Wheat Kings goalie Carson Bjarnason was general manager Daniel Briere’s lone second-round pick, third-rounder Denver Barkley, also from the London, Slovak forward Alex Ciernik (120th overall), and stay-at-home defenseman Carter Sotheran (135th) could have all gone in the top 70. The result? A fat A+ from any outlet grading picks.
Related: Grading Each Team’s Draft at the 2023 NHL Draft
The Flyers not only loaded up a prospect pool that already included Cutter Gauthier and Emil Andrae but also set a timer on their nascent rebuild. Barring any Russian spookiness, Michkov will arrive stateside in 2026-27, and for the next year or two, Briere’s Flyers can be as bad as they need to be. They only have to be relevant to the playoff picture when Michkov, a ready-made 40-goal scorer, walks into their top line for free. That leaves their current crop in limbo, especially goaltender Carter Hart, whose trade value is perhaps the highest of any remaining Flyer.
Hart is a 24-year-old top-15 NHL goaltender with a manageable $3.9 million cap hit and a playoff pedigree. Last season, he was excellent behind a bottom-five roster and could command multiple first-round picks or high-end prospects on the trade market. It is not every day potential franchise goalies become available, and teams will smell blood in the water around Hart. He should be as good as gone from a Flyers team that does not need to pay a long-term starting goaltender any time soon, right? Not necessarily.
What Goalie Market?
The market for Hart largely dried up over the first few days of free agency. The ever-bold Ottawa Senators signed Joonas Korpisalo to a five-year, $20-million contract in the hopes of finally returning to the postseason, and the Carolina Hurricanes re-upped both Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen. The Los Angeles Kings settled for veteran Cam Talbot after they spent most of their cap space on Pierre-Luc Dubois the week before; before the blockbuster trade for Dubois, LA was considered a potential destination for Hart.
That does not exactly cover every would-be contender team that needs a netminder, but Hart does not fit any of the remaining teams shopping for a goalie. The New Jersey Devils seem set on Connor Hellebuyck, and Briere would be rightfully wary of strengthening a division rival with another young, talented player. The Seattle Kraken and Detroit Red Wings could use a reliable 50-game starter like Hart but are hoping expensive gambles on Philip Grubauer and Ville Husso, respectively, can still pay off before they start shopping for replacements. Though Buffalo Sabres general manager (GM) Kevyn Adams has the need and means to go after Hart, he would probably prefer a short-term solution like Vitek Vanacek or a returning Robin Lehner until prospect Devon Levi seizes the NHL cage.
Patience Is a Virtue
Hart is an interesting player who has not garnered a lot of interest. That is the fault of an NHL executive landscape brimming with overconfidence. GMs are sure they have it all figured out until they aren’t. The circumstances executives have planned around could change drastically in six months. Husso could get hurt, leaving the Red Wings with nothing but the husk of James Reimer to lead them through a playoff push. The Winnipeg Jets, who still have plenty of franchise pillars in place, could get aggressive in seeking a Hellebuyck replacement. If the Kraken are closer to a Stanley Cup than expected, they could get cold feet about Grubauer’s chances of leading them to the promised land. What then?
The NHL’s collective offseason self-assuredness makes way for a midseason frenzy when teams fallaciously realize they are just a piece away from winning it all. That often turns into an expensive proposition. Ask now-retired Predators GM David Poile, who landed a war chest in exchange for Mattias Ekholm and Tanner Jeannot. Briere would do well to emulate that patience and maximize Hart’s value. He got burned already by shopping Kevin Hayes hard and should be fully prepared to wait on the right offer this time.
Related: Flyers Are Real Losers in Hayes-Tortorella Feud
Briere can still trade Hart this offseason, but taking a front foot in proceedings would only hurt the return package. Shaky goaltending solutions will only stifle the Flyers as long as they work. When March’s trade deadline rolls around, half a dozen teams could need a steady presence in goal. Then will be the time to take them for all they’re worth. Why should he and coach John Tortorella have to rely on a battery of Cal Petersen and Sam Ersson in the meantime? The Flyers are right where they want to be for now: firmly in the periphery until other, more desperate teams need them.