By admin 
During their past two offseasons, the Philadelphia Flyers have pursued semi-expensive depth options for their roster. It’s hard to blame them. For a whilemuch of their depth consisted of sub-replacement level forwards and defensemen who actively played the team’s games. An easy way to solve this problem was to open their wallets.
In the 2023 free agency period, the Flyers targeted forwards Garnet Hathaway and Ryan Poehling, with the two combining for a $3.775 million cap hit. This was in addition to Scott Laughton, Noah Cates and Nicolas Deslauriers, who earned a combined $7.4 million. This was a noticeable improvement, unlike the various minimum salary depth players in recent years. Philadelphia made the playoffs in 2023-24 in part because of their approach.
The Flyers doubled down by expanding Hathaway and Poehling to two-year contracts, each worth slightly more than what they originally signed for. They also gave a third pair defender Nick Seeler a four-year deal worth $2.7 million per year, including a no-trade clause.
Now we look ahead to the offseason festivities of 2025. As the Orange and Black prepare for them, one thing should be clear: They have the talent to save some money on depth this time around. It may also be a bit of a necessity, considering that their salary cap situation.
Let’s discuss some potential interior depth options that could earn an NHL roster spot. This could make the team’s more expensive depth players expendable, potentially allowing the Flyers to accumulate assets and utilize cap space through trades.
Players in the system who can create plays with good depth
The Flyers will likely have some roster openings in the 2025-26 season, as every player on this season’s team is unlikely to return. Here are three players, all from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League (AHL), who could be good depth players in Philadelphia if given the opportunity.
Olle Lycksell, winger
Olle Lycksella 25-year-old left-handed winger, is no stranger to the Flyers. The 2017 sixth-round pick has had a number of games of NHL hockey under his belt with the Orange and Black in recent seasons, making his debut in 2022-2023. Since the start of that season, he has 108 AHL points in 116 games.
Scoring as a valuable piece for the Phantoms hasn’t exactly translated to the NHL level. His six points in 27 games aren’t all that impressive, but his numbers on the ice are. Among Flyer forwards with 100 minutes of 5-on-5 usage over the past two seasons, he is first in shot share (56.14%), first in shot share (61.81%), third in goal share (50.00%), first in expected goal share (63.47%), and first in the risk share (60.81%).
Olle Lycksell, Philadelphia Flyers (Jess Starr/The hockey writers)
Maybe it’s the limited sample size he’s working with (180:21 of ice time), but Lycksell was great in Philadelphia. Typically, players with his $787,500 salary have stats 10% or more below that. assumed be outplayed and surpassed. Especially considering his AHL production, Lycksell could be more than just that.
Related: Cheap depth players who can draw penalties are key pieces for NHL contenders
There could be some upside with Lycksell. With the way Stefan Noesen has broken out for the New Jersey Devils this season by having the opportunity to succeed, every team should try to recreate it. Sometimes the next top six player is someone in their mid-to-late 20s who is in the AHL. While this is the best possible outcome, you never know if you don’t try.
Samu Tuomaala, winger
Samu Tuomaala, a 21-year-old winger, has also been productive for the Phantoms this season. His 23 points in 29 AHL games are good for his age, showing he has what it takes to be a full-time NHLer. He could add a spark to the Flyers’ offense.
Tuomaala has yet to make his debut for the Flyers. Drafted in the second round in 2021 was his development worryingly slow going but he’s picked it up big time in recent seasons. He ranks 30th in AHL scoring in 2024-25, and shared sixth among players aged 21 or younger. It may not be the case yet, but the Finn is reaching ‘too good for the minors’ territory.
The Flyers should likely make an opening for Tuomaala in 2025-2026. He shouldn’t get a spot by any means, but he can add something to their team. He is an option for them sad power playtoo, so that’s a bonus.
Ethan Samson, defender
Ethan Samson has been great for the Phantoms this season, all things considered. The 21-year-old right-shot defenseman has 11 points in 28 games, even if he isn’t a top player for Lehigh Valley. Those 11 points are the same as or more than the following players around his age who have already made their NHL debuts: Kevin Korchinski, Lian Bichsel and Ethan Del Mastro. He is accompanied by good company.
Samson could give the Flyers a level of confidence that their defense could use. He’s comfortable with the puck on his stick and isn’t afraid to shoot. He may have a minus-14 rating, which is one of the worst on the Phantoms, but there is a lot to like about his play.
Similar to teammate Emil Andraewho is 22, it is possible for Samson to see immediate NHL success despite his youth. Defensemen may need more time to develop, but Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw has done wonders for the rear end. If Samson continues to impress and has a good training camp next season, he could be the next to flourish under Shaw.
Flyers can save cap space with depth drafts
Combined, the three players above have a cap hit of $2.465 million (Lycksell will be a free agent in 2025, though). Hathaway alone is making just $90,000 less this season, that’s three players for the price of one.
This doesn’t mean the Flyers should jettison today’s depth, but they should consider cheaper options. This will save them money if they want to improve the top half of their roster. A potential long-term extension of defenseman Cam York It can also be expensive, so a little leniency on policy can go a long way.
The three players above could use some NHL time for their development anyway, so it’s a bit of a two birds with one stone here. If the Flyers plan to trade some of their current depth for draft capital or prospects, that would be three birds in the air.
In previous seasons, the Flyers didn’t have the pieces to trot out their AHL pieces in the NHL. Now they do. Giving those guys playing time in 2025-2026 could be beneficial for the reasons outlined above: player development, more money, and more assets like draft picks if the Flyers are willing to sell their current depth.
