Are John Carlson and the Flyers a perfect match?

The Philadelphia Flyers are looking to add to their roster this summer after their surprising second round berth, and finding a defenseman to quarterback the powerplay is among them.

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Anaheim Ducks rearguard John Carlson is interested in returning to the East Coast after a short stint in Orange County. Carlson has since been linked to the Flyers by multiple people, implying that Philadelphia could be one of the former Washington Capitals first-round pick’s top destinations. 

Daily Faceoff was told that the Flyers would be very interested in bringing Carlson in on a short term contract. If Carlson is (hypothetically) looking for a two year contract, the Flyers are prepared to hand him an AAV in the $8 million range, according to sources. 

Carlson, 36, was traded to the Ducks at this past season’s trade deadline after spending his entire career (drafted in 2008) with the Capitals. He registered 14 goals and 60 points in 71 regular season games between the two clubs, along with six assists in 12 playoff games with the Ducks. 

The Flyers’ power play has been among the NHL’s worst for several years now. So bringing in a high-end offensive defenseman – albeit an aging one – like Carlson will be a top priority. Philly has some promising young, right-shot defensemen in the system like Oliver Bonk and David Jiricek, both of whom could be competent power-play quarterbacks in the future. Having someone like Carlson to not only bridge the Flyers to one of those two but also serve as a mentor could be very beneficial for all involved.

The Flyers also have Rasmus Ristolainen on the right side of the back-end, who was on the trade block the entire season but ultimately was not moved before the deadline. According to team sources, the Flyers are still open to trading Ristolainen this summer – but are still holding firm on their asking price that starts with a first-round pick. 

Among the teams who could have interest in Ristolainen, the Ottawa Senators have shown interest in him in the past. The Montreal Canadiens could be an option. Sources have suggested that they were among the closest of teams that almost acquired Ristolainen ahead of the trade deadline. 

While moving Ristolainen’s $5.1 million AAV (signed for one more season) would be ideal if you’re bringing in a big ticket attached to Carlson, the two moves do not need to be tied together. It has been well documented that the Flyers targeted this offseason as the one to free up significant cap space; with the dead money coming off the books tied to the likes of Kevin Hayes and Scott Laughton (retained salaries), the Flyers are projected to have a little less than $37.5 million of money to play with this summer. 

Given this, the Flyers are more than comfortable hanging onto Ristolainen if their price isn’t met – even in the event of Carlson signing. If both Ristolainen and Carlson are on the roster next season, it could see Jiricek start as the seventh defenseman and Bonk in the AHL. Perhaps not the most ideal outcome, but it would certainly make for internal competition and give Bonk more time to develop with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. 

On a poetic front, Carlson ending his career with the Flyers would be justice. He was taken with a draft pick that originally belonged to Philadelphia; it was traded to Washington on the draft floor in 2008 for defenseman Steve Eminger. 

Beyond looking for help on the backend, the Flyers top priority remains finding a center capable of playing in the top-six. The options for high end centers who are available are few and far between across the league. But two targets that the Flyers like are the Ducks’ Mason McTavish and Seattle Kraken’s Matty Beniers. 

McTavish, 23, fell out of favor with head coach Joel Quenneville this season. He often found himself further down the depth chart or, at times, as a healthy scratch. He finished 17 goals and 41 points in 75 regular-season games, along with one goal and six assists in 10 playoff contests. McTavish is about to enter the second year of a six-year contract he signed with the Ducks last offseason. He carries an AAV of $7 million and doesn’t have trade protection until year five of the deal. 

Beniers, 23, registered 20 goals and 50 points in 82 games with the Kraken this season. Much like McTavish, it is uncertain if the Kraken are looking to move their first-ever draft pick. But with the organization doing a full audit of their hockey operations department, who knows what direction the team is heading in. If GM Jason Botterill is truly looking to shake up the roster’s makeup, moving off of Beniers would certainly be a way to take things in a different direction. 

It is unclear if either of these players will be made actively available. But if they are, you can sure the Flyers will be among the teams interest – much like the team would be if the Toronto Maple Leafs eventually entertain calls on captain Auston Matthews.