Frank Seravalli says the Flyers are among the teams not on Dylan Larkin's list, and clubs are lining up for a center.
Philadelphia fits the profile. The Flyers sit at 4-10-5, 29th in the NHL, and they hit the ice in Vancouver tonight with three straight losses behind them.
Seravalli noted that Buffalo, St. Louis, Boston and Philadelphia are non-list teams for Larkin, with plenty of others calling in search of a center like him, and Montreal mentioned as well.
That is all the post gives us. No terms, no package, no word on how Larkin feels about any of it. This is a rumor, and it is attributed to Seravalli alone. Daniel Briere has not commented.
But the name landing in Philadelphia's lap says something about how the league sees this roster. Teams that need a center are looking at the Flyers' chair as open.
The numbers back that up. Philadelphia has lost nine of its ten one-goal games, going 1-4-5, and the goal differential sits at -23.
Do the Flyers really need a center?
Watch what Rick Tocchet has been doing. Matvei Michkov was moved to center in warmups in Calgary, and Trevor Zegras, Sean Couturier, Christian Dvorak and Cole Knuble all work there too.
That's five names and no settled answer. When Christian Dvorak's minutes are creeping toward 20 a game (20:09 on Sunday), the lineup is being held together by necessity.
The opinion here is simple. Michkov has 10 goals in 19 games, and his shot belongs on the wing, not in a faceoff circle he has to learn on the fly. A real number one center would let Tocchet stop experimenting.
Sunday's 4-3 overtime loss in Calgary, which we covered when the Flyers needed more than Michkov, was another one-goal game that slipped away.
Whether Briere has any interest in Larkin, or whether Larkin would have any in Philadelphia, is unknown. For now, the Flyers drop the puck in Vancouver tonight, and the questions at center travel with them.
Quick hits
NEW JERSEY DEVILSConnor Hrabchak is hinting the Devils could recall goalie David Rittich with Anthony Mantha hurt. The Connor Hellebuyck saga also has a new wrinkle.
OTTAWA SENATORSBruce Garrioch just reported that Linus Ullmark is ready to return to the Senators' net. Ottawa fans have been waiting on this one.
WINNIPEG JETSConnor Hellebuyck won't play in Winnipeg on Tuesday, but he will still face the Jets' hometown media. He says he'll explain why he wanted out.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINSDan Kingerski posted this morning that Kris Letang was brutally honest after the Penguins' 5-2 loss in Anaheim.
WAIVER WATCHWashington put goaltender Remi Poirier on waivers, and Stars fans are already asking whether Dallas should be the team to grab him.
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