3 Free Agents The Flyers Should Avoid Signing – Hockey Writers – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers were efficient last season, acquiring Christian Dvorak, Dan Vladař, and Trevor Zegras—all of whom were instrumental in the team’s 98-point season and first-round victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. This summer could be busy, too.

Which free agents, though, should the Flyers avoid at all costs? Here are three.

Rasmus Andersson, D, Vegas Golden Knights

After the second round looks, it might seem wise to add a top-four puck-mover on the blue line—doing so would really benefit the defense. But the Flyers are not yet in a position to make such a move.

In theory, Rasmus Andersson will command a long-term contract should he hit the open market, and the average salary won’t be cheap. Seeing as he will be 30 at the start of next season, signing him will be a tough move now. But the Flyers, despite their growth, are not a winning team right now.

The Flyers’ true Stanley Cup window likely won’t open for several more seasons. After all, Denver Barkey, Jack Berglund, Oliver Bonk, Alex Bump, David Jiříček, Jett Luchanko, Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, Jack Nesbitt, and Egor Zavragin are all under 23—the core members of this rebuild.

Therefore, there is no real reason to risk the long-term future of the team by offering a large salary to a veteran defender (especially one whose results in 2025-26 were not so good). Those kinds of moves can come later, if necessary.

Claude Giroux, RW, Ottawa Senators

There may have been a short period of time when bringing Claude Giroux back to Philadelphia would have made sense—an experienced leader with real talent is essential to a young team. But a new leadership team for the Flyers is starting to take shape, and there’s no room for him in the top nine, anyway. It is best to leave this chapter closed.

Even at 38 years old, Giroux is still playing solid hockey. He recorded 14 goals and 35 assists last season for a plus-20 average in 82 games. Additionally, with a winning percentage of 63.1%, he led the NHL. But dating isn’t really a game.

At this stage, the Flyers should focus on integrating young players into the top six—not veteran outfielders. Signing Giroux would prevent guys like Barkey and Bump from getting opportunities. That is not going.

Darren Raddysh, D, Tampa Bay Lightning

This player falls under the same umbrella as Andersson, but with much greater risk. After Victor Hedman’s injury problems, 30-year-old right-shooting defender Darren Raddysh has seen a huge spike in usage. Often on top pairing and No. 1 power play duties, he recorded 22 goals and 48 assists in 73 games. He finished seventh in points among defensemen.

For the same reasons explained under Andersson, the Flyers have no business bringing in a 30-year-old defenseman who will command more time and a higher salary. However, with Raddysh, he is someone to avoid no matter how many years he wants to sign.

Even if Raddysh has a shot at a rebound, it’s fair to assume that the season he had could be similar to that of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Nikita Kucherov is perhaps the best shot creator in the NHL, and his defensemen benefit greatly from that. While Michkov is focused on creating shots for defenders, again, he’s A) not doing it at Kucherov’s level yet and B) not getting Kucherov-type uses. Philadelphia is not a good fit for the Tampa Bay quarterback.

The Flyers really shouldn’t be discouraged from signing free agents. It’s just that, as of now, making a lot of money and term for veterans is not a game. Winning moves should now be reserved for teams that are currently winning—something Orange and Black are not.