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The Philadelphia Flyers seemed poised for a playoff spot in 2023-24.
On March 23, they claimed a 3-2 win, securing third place in the Metropolitan Division with a four-point cushion over the Washington Capitals. But then, the collapse happened. Eight straight losses followed, including a brutal 9-3 blowout on April 9. Just like that, they missed the postseason by four points.
This year? The playoffs feel like a distant dream. The Flyers sit at 24-26-7, with 55 points, tied for second-worst in the Eastern Conference alongside the Montréal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.
So, as the March 7 trade deadline looms, who could the Flyers move? Let’s dive into some notable names who might make sense for the Oilers.
Andrei Kuzmenko
Here’s an interesting stat: only nine players in NHL history have suited up for the Flames, Canucks, and Oilers. Could Kuzmenko become the tenth?
His career has been all over the place. In his rookie season with Vancouver, he put up an impressive 39 goals and 74 points. But the next year? It all fell apart—just 8 goals and 21 points before being shipped to Calgary in a deal for Elias Lindholm.
In Calgary, he caught fire late in the season, scoring 14 goals and 25 points in 29 games. Then came another slump with just four goals and 15 points in 37 games this season.
On January 30, the Flames traded him to Philly in a multi-piece deal that included Jakob Pelletier and two draft picks. So far, he’s played one game for the Flyers and picked up an assist.
Kuzmenko’s contract comes with a $5.5 million cap hit and expires at the end of this season. He also has a 12-team no-trade list. While he could be a smart offseason signing, moving him mid-season might not bring much return.
Scott Laughton
Scott Laughton is an intriguing trade option, especially for teams needing depth at center.
This season, he’s put up 11 goals and 26 points in 54 games. He’s on pace for around 16 goals and 38 points, right in line with his past seasons. Solid, but not flashy.
Laughton’s value goes beyond the scoreboard. He’s a penalty-killing workhorse, leading Flyers forwards with 91+ minutes shorthanded. He’s also taken 294 faceoffs this season, winning 48.6% of them. Over his career, he’s closer to 50%.
What’s most appealing? His contract. At 30 years old, Laughton carries a $3 million cap hit, locked in through 2025-26, with no trade protection. For a player who consistently delivers close to 40 points a season, that’s a bargain.
Rasmus Ristolainen
Rasmus Ristolainen’s career has been a rollercoaster.
Once known for racking up points while struggling defensively, the 6’4” Finnish defenseman has evolved into a reliable top-four blue-liner. From 2015 to 2019, he was a steady 40-point producer, but his defensive numbers? Yikes. A minus-41 in one season alone.
These days, he’s more balanced. This season, Ristolainen has 2 goals and 15 points in 54 games, on pace for his best numbers since 2019-20. He’s also a key piece on the Flyers’ penalty kill, logging over 108 shorthanded minutes, and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around, with his 85 hits ranking third on the team.
Trade rumours are heating up. Ristolainen is third on Daily Faceoff’s most recent Trade Targets list. The Oilers are reportedly a team to watch, as he’d fit nicely on their second pairing.
The catch? His contract. Ristolainen comes with a hefty $5.1 million cap hit through 2026-27, and he has no-trade protection. The Flyers, however, still have two salary retention spots available, which could sweeten the deal.
The Flyers’ season isn’t going anywhere fast, but with the right moves at the deadline, they could set themselves up for a brighter future.
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Bruins' Charlie McAvoy Shares First Picture After Facial Surgery
Boston Bruins star Charlie McAvoy resurfaced publicly for the first time since undergoing facial surgery on Thursday. The blueliner posted a Thanksgiving message alongside a family photo on Instagram in what became his first appearance since he went down injured in mid-November. McAvoy has been recovering at home after taking a deflected slap shot to the face during a Nov. 15 win against the Montreal Canadiens. The player thanked those who reached out following the injury and expressed relief to be home during the holiday. “Thanks to everyone who sent thoughts and prayers to us,” McAvoy wrote. “Feeling so grateful to be home and together this Thanksgiving.” McAvoy added a message for his son while mentioning his wife, Kiley, in the same post. “Most thankful for the glue that holds this family together and navigates us through every difficult time, we’re so lucky you’re ours @kileymcavoy,” McAvoy wrote. “Happy Thanksgiving to all.” Along with the message, McAvoy shared a family photo along with his wife and young son, marking the first time fans have seen his face since surgery. The Bruins placed the 27-year-old on injured reserve on Nov. 23, and head coach Marco Sturm said the priority remains rest and recovery. Sturm also confirmed McAvoy was recovering at home and not traveling with the team. While there is no set timetable for McAvoy's return, Sturm acknowledged the injury is serious enough to sideline the defenseman indefinitely. Meanwhile, ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported the best-case scenario has McAvoy back in time for the February Olympics, where he is expected to play a major role for Team USA. Before the injury, McAvoy recorded 14 assists in 19 games and continued to lead Boston in ice time. After two weeks without their main defenseman, the Bruins still sit third in the Atlantic Division with a 14-11-0 record and 28 points through 25 games.
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently revealed that he offered Micah Parsons plus a first-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Quinnen Williams during training camp. Jerry Jones says Jets turned out incredible trade offer for Quinnen Williams “I wanted a one and Parsons for Williams,” Jones said on 103.5 The Fan. That seems like an absurd offer, but Jones left little up to interpretation. “A one and Parsons for Williams,” he repeated. Later, he added that the deal did not go through because the Jets “did not have the cap room to pay [Parsons].” Jones also said something similar to WFAA’s Ed Werder: “We tried at training camp with the Jets to basically make an exchange that was ready to go, heads up, with Quinnen and Micah and a one, and we didn’t get it done.” Parsons, of course, was instead sent to the Packers for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. The Cowboys later acquired Williams before the trade deadline for a package including a 2027 first-rounder, a 2026 second-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith. Jones has slowly revealed more and more information about the Parsons trade since it was completed. During a September radio appearances on ESPN New York, Jones said that called the Jets regarding Williams when he was shopping Parsons before the season. The Jets were not interested, he claimed, because they “didn’t have the resources to entertain [the] conversation,” similar to his pronouncement on 103.5. If true, Jets made a big mistake If Jones’ latest revelation is true, that means two things. First, he was willing to sacrifice a massive amount of value to move Parsons and acquire Williams. Second, the Jets made a huge mistake in not accepting the deal. Although Williams is an excellent defensive tackle, Parsons is undoubtedly a better and more valuable player, even at a higher price point. This year, Williams has 2.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss this season; per Pro Football Focus, he ranks fifth among interior defenders with 40 pressures but 38th with a 12.1% pass-rush win rate. Parsons, meanwhile, has 12.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, plus 67 pressures and a 24.3% pass-rush win rate, both top-three marks among NFL edge-rushers. In his career, he has averaged 0.89 sacks and one tackle for loss per game; Williams’ per-game numbers are 0.41 sacks and 0.60 tackles for loss. Those numbers may not tell the complete story of either player, but it seems like the Jets should have taken Jones’ offer. Sure, they would have had to pony up for Parsons’ mega-extension, but they were already prepared to move on from Williams. Adding an extra first-round pick on top would also give the Jets an opportunity to add another starter — if not a star — on a rookie contract. That would help to offset the financial cost of acquiring Parsons. How realistic is Jerry Jones' claim? But Jones’ words should also be taken with a grain of salt. He has spent a lot of time trying to retroactively justify trading away Parsons, especially after using some of the resulting draft capital to acquire Williams. Claiming that the Jets were not interested in Parsons and a first-rounder for Williams serves to downplay the former’s value and boost the latter’s. The idea that the Jets could not afford to pay Parsons does not hold water, either. After his extension, the All-Pro edge-rusher’s cap hit in 2025 is just $9.97M. New York certainly could have designed a similar contract structure and absorbed Perhaps the Jets didn't want to commit so much money to Parsons as they were clearly contemplating a rebuild. Parsons would still be a cornerstone for that effort, but he may not have wanted to weather any losing seasons in the hopes of a future turnaround. But again, adding another first-round pick would have accelerated that process, and a core of Parsons, cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson seems like a solid foundation for the Jets to build from. That is an expensive trio, but having elite players at three of the sport’s most important positions is a good problem to have. Instead, the Jets declined the Cowboys’ initial offer for Williams before moving him and Gardner at the deadline as part of what appears to be a full-on franchise reset.
Packers announce head-turning roster move one day after 2025 Lions sweep
Fresh off a Thanksgiving win on Thursday against the Detroit Lions on the road at Ford Field in Detroit, the Green Bay Packers made a notable move to reunite with kicker Lucas Havrisik. Green Bay parted ways with Havrisik just before the Lions game, but on Friday, the team announced that he’s back in the fold after getting signed to the practice squad roster. Via Green Bay’s official website: “The Green Bay Packers signed K Lucas Havrisik (HAVE-ruh-sick) to the practice squad. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Friday.” Lucas Havrisik insurance for now for the Packers It can be recalled that Havrisik saw action in three games in the 2025 NFL season for Green Bay in place of the then-injured Brandon McManus. In those games, the former Arizona Wildcats kicker went 4-for-4 on his field goals, including a franchise record-setting 61-yard make in Week 7’s 27-23 win in Glendale over the Arizona Cardinals. He was also 7-for-9 on extra-point attempts, with both misses happening in Week 11’s 27-20 victory against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. McManus is healthy and perfect in the two games since he returned to action, so there is no reason for the Packers to give his spot to someone else so Havrisik will just be insurance for now for Green Bay, which has a Week 14 date with the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.
Hawks provide injury update on Trae Young amid recent success
While Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young is making “good progress” in his recovery from a sprained MCL in his right knee, he will miss at least two more weeks, which is the next time he’ll be reevaluated, the team announced in a press release. Young injured his knee in a collision with teammate Mouhamed Gueye in the first quarter of an Oct. 29 game at Brooklyn. He was ruled out for the rest of that game and was diagnosed with the MCL sprain a few days later after undergoing an MRI, which revealed no additional damage. The 27-year-old point guard was scheduled to be checked out on Saturday. This is the first update on his status since Nov. 1. Atlanta Hawks have found success despite Trae Young injury Atlanta has played well without the four-time All-Star, compiling an 11-5 record (including the victory over the Nets) in Young’s absence. He’s expected to be sidelined for six more games, with the earliest possible return date likely being Dec. 14 vs. Philadelphia. Fifth-year forward Jalen Johnson has thrived with Young sidelined, emerging as the face of the franchise and complicating his teammate’s future with the organization, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. Although the Hawks value young Young’s contributions and are eager to have him back in the near future, they may not be willing to give him the type of contract he could be seeking next offseason if he declines his $49M player option for 2026-27 to become an unrestricted free agent. Johnson had another huge game on Friday against Cleveland, compiling 29 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists for his second triple-double of the season, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). Johnson, who turns 24 years old next month, was plus-20 in 39 minutes during the seven-point victory over the Cavaliers. Reigning Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels has also taken on expanded play-making duties with Young out, and will continue to do so until his fellow starter in the backcourt is ready to return. It will be interesting to see what head coach Quin Snyder decides to do with Nickeil Alexander-Walker when Young is back. The Canadian guard, who was acquired in a sign-and-trade with Minnesota over the summer, has more than doubled his scoring average (19.3 point per game) compared to last season (9.4). He has been starting alongside Daniels for the past 13 games.
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