For six wild days back in July, it felt like the entire NHL was holding its breath. Flyers GM Danny Briere threw down an absolute bombshell on July 3, hitting Leo Carlsson with a five-year, $90 million offer sheet that would’ve made him the richest center in league history, topping Kirill Kaprizov’s $17 million cap hit. We’re talking nearly $85 million in front-loaded, buyout-proof signing bonuses! If Anaheim declined, they’d get four first-round picks. But Ducks GM Pat Verbeek didn’t even blink, matching the offer on July 9. Carlsson himself sounded pretty relieved, saying, “I always wanted to be a Duck.” Ouch.
The $90 Million Miss and the Ongoing Hunt
Briere, a day later, played it cool. He said they “understood this outcome was possible” and that their goal “does not change,” committed to “pursuing every opportunity” without “sacrificing our future.” But let’s be real, the Flyers made a massive swing, and they missed. Hard. Briere had been crystal clear in June: “We’d like to have a No. 1 center.” That goal hasn’t changed one bit.
What’s wild is that Philly is heading into this season with actual expectations for the first time in forever. They broke a six-season playoff drought last year, even winning a playoff series a year ahead of schedule. Online betting sites, like Sportaza, are pegging them as a +120 shot to make it back to back postseasons in 2026-27. They’ve kept their picks, their cap room, and that young roster. Everything’s set, *except* for that one crucial piece right down the middle. So, who could be next on their radar?
Dylan Larkin’s Mess in Motor City
Enter Dylan Larkin, who, on paper, seems like a perfect fit. The guy is 30 years old, an Olympic gold medalist, and coming off a career-high 34 goals and 67 points in 74 games last season, second only to Alex DeBrincat in Detroit. But here’s the kicker: he’s also just watched the Red Wings miss the playoffs for their *tenth straight season*. Yeah, you read that right. Ten seasons.
His trade request went public way back on June 4. Then Steve Yzerman, the GM, left in July, and interim GM Shawn Horcoff took over hockey operations. The whole thing blew up even further on September 11 when Detroit stripped him of his captaincy, opening camp without a C on anyone’s jersey. Larkin didn’t mince words: “I asked for a trade from the Detroit Red Wings as the captain, and actions have consequences.” Then, just for good measure, he missed the first week of camp with a gym injury and only rejoined practice on September 23, and not even on a regular line.
Philly has already made the call, but The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported that Larkin told them he wasn’t interested. Still, Broad Street Hockey is arguing that door might just swing back open. Larkin’s cap hit is $8.7 million through 2030-31, which slides right into the Flyers’ $13 million in cap space.
The Flyers are clearly committed to making a splash to land their guy. Will it be Larkin, despite his initial reluctance, or will Briere go big game hunting somewhere else? One thing is for sure: the pressure is on to find that No. 1 center if they want to live up to those playoff expectations.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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