NHL Trade Rumors: Islanders & Flyers Linked As Trade Partners This Summer

With a new head coach in tow in Rick Tocchet, the Philadelphia Flyers will be aggressive in upgrading their roster and giving their bench boss a roster that can seriously compete for the playoffs. A legitimate top-six center is one of their top priorities.

Meanwhile, the New York Islanders have a new GM in place in Mathieu Darche, and he'll want to shake things up and put his own stamp on things. And according to William James of Philly Hockey Now, "Darche could move on from one of the team’s current long-term contracts to make it easier to acquire big talent." That could put centers Mat Barzal and/or Bo Horvat into play.

Despite an intra-divisional trade being a risk, James could see the Flyers getting in on that action, with their desperate need to add significant help down the middle.

The Flyers’ need for centers could not be more evident. If an above-average center becomes available, the Flyers should be linked.

Flyers linked to Barzal or Horvat if Islanders ready to trade a center

Barzal, 28, is perhaps a bigger risk, but also has the bigger upside. The exciting, playmaking pivot is a three-time All-Star, with a couple of 80-point seasons on his resume, but is coming off a lost season in which he only played 30 games due to knee surgery. He has six years to run on a $9.15 million AAV.

Horvat, 30, has been the more consistent, and healthier of the two, of late, as he finished just two goals short of his fourth straight 30-goal season. He also has six years left on his deal, and his cap hit is $8.5 million.

If the Islanders want to clear up even more cap space for Darche to work with, either one of them would work. And the Flyers would only be too happy to oblige, says James. Imagine Barzal working his playmaking magic with the scoring genius of Matvei Michkov.

In return, suggests James, the Flyers would have to give up a ton of futures in a trade such as this. He posits a series of draft picks, including their two late-first-round picks, plus at least a second-rounder for 2026. In addition, a top young prospect would have to go, either Denver Barkley (a Top 5 Flyers prospect) or Alex Bump (No. 13), plus a player off the NHL roster.

It would be a big haul, but, as James writes, "if the Islanders make Barzal or Horvat available, the Flyers should be all over it. Either center would be a massive upgrade for the Flyers’ depth down the middle."