With the 2024 offseason finally underway, we have some important Philadelphia Flyers news and rumors to share. Among them are how Matvei Michkov will be joining the Flyers officially, a report on contract talks regarding Travis Konecny, and how the NHL’s buyout window opening on June 27 affects the Orange and Black.
SKA Announces Michkov’s Departure, ELC Soon to Come
On June 25, Michkov’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) team, SKA St. Petersburg, announced his departure. While his rights do still remain with the KHL, he will not return there as long as he is in the NHL. Officially, a prospect that largely fell to the Flyers at seventh overall last draft because of the three-year wait is now in the NHL after just one season.
For the Flyers, all that’s left to do is sign him to his entry-level contract (ELC). This is purely speculation, but there could be some bonuses included in the three-year deal much like the first-overall selection of the 2023 NHL Draft, Connor Bedard, had in place. Ultimately, any price is a good one for the Russian phenom.
Expectations will be high for Michkov in his rookie campaign, but it is important to remember that he is 19 years old. Even with zero experience in North America, he should still put up incredible numbers for his age. Projecting his usage, he will probably hold a second-line role with high-end ice time on the power play. He could be a game-changer for a man advantage that has finished dead last in power-play percentage for three seasons in a row—his arrival should help the team instantly.
Konecny: To Keep or to Trade
Perhaps even more important than Michkov being a Flyer is what the Orange and Black will do with Konecny. Considering the money he is reportedly asking for, an extension could seriously jeopardize the future of the team if his game ages poorly. At this very moment, he has a contract through the 2024-25 season at a $5.5 million cap hit.
The earliest that the Flyers can extend Konecny is on July 1, making the 2024 NHL Draft the telltale sign as to whether or not they plan on keeping him. If there was ever a time to maximize his value, one of the most stacked early first-rounds that we have ever seen would definitely be the time to do it. If he is still on the team after that, we can safely assume that extension talks will start ramping up.
On 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, co-host Elliotte Friedman weighed in on the matter. “There’s this whole situation with Konecny, I think those talks have gone a little slower than anybody would have liked, but does that really mean anything? Or does everybody still think there’s time to work this out? There’s a lot going on,” he said.
The takeaway here is not necessarily anything that was said, but rather the lack of information. If Friedman doesn’t know where the Flyers lean on keeping or trading Konecny, essentially nobody outside of the organization does for certain. We can guess that Philadelphia is doing its due diligence to decide what will be best for its franchise, but what they think that option is remains a mystery.
NHL’s Buyout Window to Open on June 27
The NHL’s buyout window is set to take place 48 hours after the end of the Stanley Cup Final, which, in this season’s case, would be on June 27. There should be a good amount of action around the league when that window opens up—the Flyers are no exception.
The Flyers have three main buyout candidates, which can be narrowed down to Cam Atkinson, Cal Petersen, and Ryan Johansen. The front office has stated that they don’t plan to be very active in free agency, so there isn’t a necessity to be aggressive in freeing up money. However, it might be something that they look to do.
Related: Flyers’ Salary Cap Situation Entering 2024 Offseason
The biggest candidate for a buyout would be Atkinson, and that is the case for several reasons as opposed to just saving cap space like for the others. With Atkinson, there doesn’t seem to be a path for him to get a real shot with the Flyers next season. He struggled in 2023-24 with second-line minutes, so much that he was a fourth-line staple or a healthy scratch toward the end of his campaign.
As a 35-year-old veteran, Atkinson only has so much left in the tank. Buying him out would save the Flyers money and a roster spot, but also give him one last chance to shine. He has never won a Stanley Cup in his career, so perhaps joining a contender on a cheap new deal could be the best for him. In that instance, it would essentially be a win for all parties involved.
Petersen and Johansen, while they likely won’t have a role with the Flyers in 2024-25, don’t really have the same incentive. It could be argued for the latter, but the status of his injury is uncertain. If Johansen is indeed hurt, he can’t—and shouldn’t—be bought out at all. If that were the case, he could be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to save some money that way. Those two players seem to be safe, but only time will tell.
The 2024 NHL Draft is the next big event on the schedule for the entire league, and it begins on June 28. It will be a massive day for Philadelphia and could change the trajectory of their rebuild, so a lot is at stake.
