The Philadelphia Flyers are virtually done with their 2024 offseason after re-signing some key free agents and bringing in Matvei Michkov, but that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to add competition for roster spots in other ways.
There are still a number of free agents available, such as James van Riemsdyk, who would allow the Flyers to do that. John Tortorella, the front office, and the rest of the coaching staff have been big on players earning their keep and fighting to earn their ice time every night.
But this late into the offseason, what kind of players are out there that really add intrigue to such a packed NHL roster? Let’s discuss.
No. 3: RW Kailer Yamamoto
Once upon a time, Seattle Kraken free agent forward Kailer Yamamoto was one of the more promising young wingers in the NHL, but after scoring a career-best 20 goals and 41 points with the Edmonton Oilers in the 2021-22 season, Yamamoto’s consistency and productivity have waned dramatically.
As such, the 25-year-old is likely to find himself playing for his third different organization in as many years.
It is worth noting that Flyers general manager Danny Briere had told Philly Hockey Now that winger Bobby Brink is expected to make the team, “. . .but again, he’s going to have to earn it. It’s not going to be just given to him. He’s going to have to earn it. That’s why we’ll be protected, in case he doesn’t earn it right from the beginning. We have to have some secondary option, but definitely we expect him to take another step forward.”
In terms of similar secondary options, Yamamoto is also a smaller forward at 5-foot-8, 152 pounds, but brings seven seasons of NHL experience and has contributed on the power play and the penalty kill. Now that the Flyers have parted ways with Cam Atkinson–another diminutive two-way forward–their versatility at the forward position has decreased.
Obviously, there is a reason that Yamamoto, a 2017 first-round pick, remains a free agent through the early days of August. But if the Flyers want to take a swing on the upside and add a young veteran to their forward group, Yamamoto is the guy.
Otherwise, the forward position on the NHL free agent market is pretty barren, and Yamamoto makes the most sense for a rebuilding Flyers squad trying to get younger and better, not older and slower.
No. 2: RW Kevin Labanc
Make no mistake—the San Jose Sharks were absolutely awful in 2023-24. That’s why they finished with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft, which was eventually used to bring aboard NCAA superstar Macklin Celebrini.
After a promising start to his NHL career, veteran forward Kevin Labanc contributed to the Sharks’ struggles, suffering through easily the least productive season of his career amidst the threat of trade rumors, healthy scratches, and the like.
The 28-year-old managed only two goals, seven assists, and nine points in 46 regular season games after previously establishing himself as an important bottom-six forward for San Jose. Some might remember the fantastic 2018-19 season Labanc had with the Sharks, when he scored a career-high 17 goals, 39 assists, and 56 points while playing in all 82 games for the only time in his NHL career.
Those days might be in the past, but the Flyers could do worse than throwing a dart at a veteran winger who has a history of playing well, scoring goals, and generally being a reliable forward. Labanc doesn’t kill penalties or block too many shots, but could be worth a speculative add if the Flyers want to add more competition to their forward group.
No. 1: D Calen Addison
Outside of maybe Ronnie Attard, the Flyers just don’t have a true, 1:1 alternative for promising defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Drysdale, as we know, is a dynamite right-shot defenseman with world-class skating ability and intriguing instincts with the puck.
The only problem is that Drysdale just hasn’t been healthy for most of his pro career, and it’s hindered his development.
Dipping back into the Sharks free agent pool, Calen Addison is an offensive-minded defenseman whose pro career also hasn’t really gotten off the ground yet. Addison was traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Minnesota Wild, and then the Wild sent him to San Jose early in the 2023-24 season.
Addison is only 24 years old but failed to make an impact on a bad Sharks team last year after an encouraging 29-point campaign with Minnesota in 2022-23.
The Brandon, Manitoba, native won a gold medal with Canada at the 2020 World Junior Championships, finishing with nine points in seven games. Addison’s eight assists were the second-most of the whole tournament, finishing behind only Trevor Zegras, who had nine.
Perhaps most interesting is that Addison’s nine points in the tournament bested Drysdale’s three, while Bowen Byram managed only two and Quinton Byfield and Dawson Mercer combined for one.
Essentially, Addison has proven that he has the talent to shine bright amongst his peers, but he hasn’t come across the right situation in the NHL to coax it out of him. Tortorella and associate coach Brad Shaw have proven to be savants when it comes to developing defensemen and getting them to play a disciplined, detailed game in their own end.
With improvement in that regard, Addison’s offense will come passively. Maybe, just maybe, Addison can find a path to the NHL with a Flyers team that carries a high injury risk in 2024-25.
