Who the Flyers should trade instead of Michkov

After the Kevin Weekes bombshell report that Flyers young star forward would like a fresh start, many have begun to look into potential suitors for the 21-year-old winger.

Matvei Michkov provides something the Flyers, as a franchise, have not had much in their franchise's history. He's a highly skilled forward who has potential to be one of the best scorers in the NHL.

The Flyers, though, seem to be approaching the situation different from every other team that successful develops star talent. They have benched Michkov, buried him on the 3rd or 4th lines, cut his minutes, sat him late in games.

Rick Tocchet is not managing the young phenom correctly. The Flyers bench boss spent much of his first season openly criticizing Michkov to the media, and the two have clearly gone at it through his tenure. The biggest problem Philadelphia has right now is their coach driving one of their key pieces out of town.

Instead of dealing one of the future cornerstones of the franchise, here are some players the Flyers should consider trading:

Travis Konecny

The Flyers currently have the worst points percentage in the entire Eastern Conference. A huge part of the regression for Philadelphia is the disappearance of their veteran players.

Konecny has played in just 10 of the Flyers 20 contests thus far, posting two goals and four assists for six points to start 2026.

Aside from a two month stretch in the 2025-2026 season, the Flyers have shown nothing close to being a contender over the past few seasons. The only additions they made this offseason were some 4th line forwards as well as a backup goalie.

The truth is the team is just not done their rebuild. They still have not acquired their 1C or 1D of the future, and trading Konecny could be a step in the right direction in adding that piece.

If the Flyers can convince Konecny to waive his NMC, he'll become one of the best trade chips available and could net the Flyers a haul. If willing, moving Konecny is a no-brainer.

Rasmus Ristolainen

It's not secret that Ramus Ristolainen is a trade candidate as this season progresses. Ristolainen is no stranger to being featured in trade discussions, as has been the case for multiple seasons now.

The biggest problem for the Flyers and Risto is his ability to stay on the ice. The 32-year-old blue liner has only appeared in four games this year for the Flyers, logging one goal and a -1.

Ristolainen might be the most tradeable asset for Philadelphia. When healthy, he's a very good defenseman and is on an expiring deal with just a $5.1 million cap hit.

The Flyers should certainly be sellers unless a 1C magically becomes available. If they continue their current struggles deeper into the season, a firesale of veterans is necessary. With pending free agency, Philadelphia should certainly be looking to maximize value on players like Risto.

Nick Seeler

If the Flyers want to show their support for their franchise player, they could ship Nick Seeler elsewhere instead.

Like Ristolainen, Seeler owns a very tradeable contract. He has just one more year remaining on his deal following this season, at just a $2.7 million cap hit. Seeler's contract included a no-trade clause for the first two seasons but now has zero protections.

Seeler has played in all 20 games for Philadelphia, logging six assists and a +3. The 33-year-old defenseman is on pace for the best season of his career. However, a rebuilding Flyers team can't have him confronting one of their two young stars the way he did in Vancouver.

There would undoubtedly be several suitors for Seeler's services. He provides a lot of value defensively and has shown some more offensive prowess this season, for just $2.7 million annually, there would certainly be takers. Philadelphia can kill two birds with one stone by shipping out Michkov's challenger and getting peak value for an old defenseman.

Owen Tippett

Another Flyers winger that has been floated in trade talks over the years, Owen Tippett is a prime candidate for Philadelphia to trade to clear up some room on the wing while also acquiring future value.

Tippett has battled some injury problems, but in 14 games played, he's logged just two goals and one assist for three points. Tippett has averaged close to 50 points a season since joining the Flyers but has struggled mightily out of the gate in 2026.

Tippett is an interesting piece for many teams to consider; he is in year three of eight on his contract, with a cap hit of just $6.2 annually. With the cap rising, his salary is very reasonable for a top-six forward and could certainly be a trade chip for Philadelphia.

The Flyers have been known for their winger depth over the years, and we've seen moves to address that abundance of wings like the Bobby Brink trade. Philadelphia would be wise to trade the 27-year-old winger assuming his production stabilizes, raising his trade value.

Cam York

The writing is on the wall for Cam York in Philadelphia. The Flyers have been vocal about their desire to add more size to the blueline going forward, and 6-foot York has not been performing under Tocchet.

Three years ago, a 22-year-old Cam York posted 30 points in 82 games playing 22:37 for John Tortorella. The Flyers actually depended on York on a nightly basis.

Under Tocchet, the development has taken a step back. Now 25 years of age, York has played 12 games this season for Philadelphia, posting just one point with a staggering -10.

York's cap hit is $5.15 million annually, with him not set to hit free agency until 2030. The Flyers' patience is running thin with York, and his time in Philadelphia may be coming to an end. The value is not the best for the Flyers right now, but they'll likely opt for a York trade.