During an appearance on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio’s TFP Hotstove, Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period discussed the Philadelphia Flyers’ most pressing offseason need. When asked by host Dennis Bernstein about the top priorities for General Manager Danny Briere, Di Marco suggested that acquiring a defenseman, specifically one capable of leading the power play, should be paramount.
Di Marco argued that while the Flyers’ current defensemen—including Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, Travis Sanheim, and Rasmus Ristolainen—have performed admirably, particularly in the playoffs, they lack the offensive drive needed to elevate the team’s struggling power play. He highlighted the power play’s abysmal performance, noting it was operating at a mere one percent and was the worst among the remaining playoff teams.
He contrasted this with the forward group, suggesting that the Flyers have enough pieces in place, with potential internal growth from players like Matvei Michkov and Porter Martone, and the return of healthy players like Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster, to build a more consistent offense. Di Marco believes that while the current defensemen are solid, the team is missing a “top dog” capable of quarterbacking the power play.
Di Marco speculated that a player like Bowen Byram could be an ideal fit. However, he acknowledged concerns about Byram’s potential salary demands, estimated at $9 to $10 million annually. Despite this, Di Marco pointed to Byram’s recent performance and availability as reasons he might be a top target, especially considering the Buffalo Sabres’ surplus of defensemen.
The lack of high-end, left-shot defense prospects in the Flyers’ pipeline further emphasizes the need for an external acquisition. Di Marco concluded that a player like Byram would likely be a top priority for Briere and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones, as they have limited options developing internally on the left side, with Sandheim and York being the primary options.