Flyers Mailbag: Who’s No. 2, Trade Possibilities and more

It's all happening.

Or, at least it will be soon. This week kicks off what will likely be a busy month for the NHL. The Flyers didn't wait. They've already made some waves by extending Shayne Gostisbehere for six years and hiring Kris Knoblauch, one of the up-and-coming coaches from the junior ranks who would likely have been scooped up by another NHL club's staff soon had the Flyers not grabbed him from the Erie Otters.

Thursday marks the opening of the NHL's first buyout window. The only real possibility here is Matt Read considering he is in the last year of his contract and the Flyers getting the No. 2 pick might make things extra crowded in September. Still seems unlikely they'd pay his buyout against the salary cap (it would be $1.29 million against the cap this year and $1.17 million next year) as well as the last year of RJ Umberger's buyout ($1.5 million).

Saturday the expansion Vegas Golden Knights can start signing unrestricted free agents, a period they have to themselves for 72 hours, and each club has to send its protected list for the expansion draft to the NHL by 5 p.m. that day as well.

Next Wednesday Vegas will submit its list of expansion picks to the league at 10 a.m. and by Friday the amateur draft will begin. As you likely know, the Flyers have the No. 2 pick.

It's damn close.

That leaves the Flyers with Nico Hischier, whom I think fits what they need better anyway. He has more finesse and creativity to his offensive game and has been obsessed with improving his play defensively.

“Through all this everybody looks at him like such an incredibly gifted and skilled player. The irony is that he was our best defensive player as well,” Halifax Mooseheads GM Cam Russell said. “He is so aware of the defensive part of the game, the importance of it. If you watch him play, he’s the first guy back on the backcheck.”