Four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux, who was playoff MVP in 1995 and was involved in a controversial hit in 1996, died Thursday at age 60, the Montreal Canadiens announced.

Lemieux won his first Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986.

“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. I wish to express my most sincere and deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” said Geoff Molson, owner and CEO of Groupe CH. “A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honors. He embodied the very essence of being a Montreal Canadiens player."

Lemieux had carried the torch into Montreal's Bell Centre before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final.

Claude Lemieux carried the torch for Montreal on Monday before Game 3…

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/wpmkE47lyi

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 28, 2026

Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995 as the New Jersey Devils swept the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final. He had a league-best 13 goals that postseason.

Lemieux joined the Colorado Avalanche the following season and won his third Stanley Cup. During the postseason run, he hit Kris Draper from behind into the boards, disfiguring the Red Wings player's face. Lemieux received a two-game suspension.

The Red Wings and Avalanche got into a brawl the following season as they tried to get back at Lemieux.

Lemieux moved back to the Devils for one season in 1999-2000, winning his fourth Stanley Cup.

He finished his career with the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars and then played 18 games with the San Jose Sharks in the 2008-09 season.

USA TODAY Sports contacted the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office but has been notified that the information it has for Claude Lemieux is "exempt from public records." We will update this story as more information is released.

Claude Lemieux cause of death update

The Palm County Medical Examiner's Office told USA TODAY Sports in response to an open records request that "all public records you have requested for Claude Lemieux are exempt from public records as specified under SB 474 - FS 406.135. (2) (c)."

The Floridastatute cited by the Palm County Medical Examiner’s Office was enacted in 2024 and exempts photos, videos, audio recordings and autopsy reports related to suicide victims from general public records requests.

Gary Bettman statement on Claude Lemieux

NHL commissioner has released a statement in the wake of Lemieux's death.

"The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history," he wrote. You can read the full statement here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Claude Lemieux, four-time Stanley Cup winner, dies at 60

In this episode of Sens Nation, we discuss Pierre LeBrun’s report that Claude Giroux has decided to return for another season. Surely, it's only a matter of time before he and the Ottawa Senators get a deal done, right?

We also debate whether pending unrestricted free agent Viktor Arvidsson could be a good fit in Ottawa, and whether moving Dylan Cozens to the wing would make sense for the Senators this fall. Cozens sure looks good in that spot at the World Hockey Championships.

Plus:

Montreal Canadiens fans in Gatineau, along with the Quebec government, push back after the NHL (and probably the Senators) shut down a planned Habs fan viewing party at the Slush Puppie Centre on Saturday. After losing that game, it wouldn't have been much of a party anyway.

The Senators, who just got a new alternate jersey this season will be getting yet another one next season.

What is the PWHL trying to accomplish with player salary disclosure?

Former Senators Jason York is heading into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame

Subscribe to the show for Ottawa Senators news, NHL analysis, trade rumours, game breakdowns, and weekly Sens Nation episodes.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — On locker room cleanout day last week, General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Bill Guerin did not exactly hide what the Minnesota Wild need.

“The preference would be to get a natural center,” Guerin said Monday during the team’s end-of-season media availability.

There is no doubt that is the focus in the offseason. But the Wild also have to decide what to do on defense.

Zach Bogosian and Jeff Petry both played down the stretch for the Wild in the playoffs and are both veteran right-shot defenders.

Petry, 38, played in nine regular-season games and three playoff games.

Bogosian, 35, played in 41 regular-season games and nine of the 12 playoff games for the Wild. He battled injuries all year, but there is no doubt about how respected he is in the locker room and by the Wild front office.

But, as the old saying goes, sometimes the best ability is durability.

Which makes Brent Burns an intriguing option.

Burns, 41, is a rugged right-shot defenseman who has been in the NHL since 2003 after the Wild drafted him with the 20th overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft.

In his 22nd NHL season after signing a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche, Burns joined Phil Kessel (1,064 games) as the only players in NHL history to play 1,000 consecutive games.

The 6-foot-5 defenseman has 273 goals, 672 assists and 945 points in 1,579 career NHL games.

He sits 14th all-time in NHL history for games played, and if he were to play another 82 games next season, Burns would sit 8th in NHL history with 1,661.

Why not bring him back to Minnesota, where it all started?

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Other Wild News

‘It Feels Like Home’: Mats Zuccarello Hopes His Wild Career Isn’t OverAs the veteran winger enters a crucial offseason, he opens up about his undeniable chemistry with Kirill Kaprizov and a deep-rooted desire to finish his career in Minnesota.

- 'I'm A Big Believer In John': Bill Guerin Commits To John Hynes.

- Wild's Filip Gustavsson To Undergo Offseason Hip Surgery.

- 'I Love The City And The Fans': Quinn Hughes Already Feels At Home In Minnesota.

- Wild Rookie Goaltender Finishes Sixth In Calder Trophy Voting.

- Bill Guerin Named Finalist For Jim Gregory General Manager Of The Year Award.

On Thursday morning, the NHL Alumni Association announced that NHL legend and former San Jose Sharks winger Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60. 

Lemieux's NHL journey began when he was drafted by his local team, the Montreal Canadiens, in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft. He then made his NHL debut during the 1983-84 season and even scored his first career goal during his first eight game stint in Montreal. 

Lemieux earned his first Stanley Cup championship in 1986 after splitting time between the Canadiens and the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the American Hockey League.

The tenacious winger would establish himself as a full-time NHLer during the 1986-87 season, playing in 76 games for the Canadiens. He surpassed the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career as well, finding the back of the net 27 times. He would remain with the Canadiens through the end of the 1980s and into 1990. He was traded to the New Jersey Devils for the 1990-91 season, and spent five seasons in the Garden State.

In his final season in New Jersey, Lemieux won his second Stanley Cup and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for the only time in his career after scoring 13 goals in the playoffs.

The newly established Colorado Avalanche acquired Lemieux ahead of the 1995-96 season. He would go on to win the Stanley Cup for the second straight year during his first campaign in Colorado.

After four full seasons in Colorado, the Avalanche sent Lemieux back to New Jersey in the middle of the 1999-00 season and he went on to win his fourth, and final, Stanley Cup as a member of the Devils. 

At the start of the new millennium, Lemieux went to the Phoenix Coyotes for three seasons before being traded to the Dallas Stars in the middle of the 2002-03 season. The Stars would end up buying out his contract, and it seemed that Lemieux's career had come to an unceremonious end. While that would be the case for five years, he eventually made a comeback.

In November of 2008, Lemieux signed with the San Jose Sharks' AHL affiliate at the time, the Worcester Sharks. A month later, he was signed to an NHL deal and finished his career in the Bay Area. Following the conclusion of the 2008-09 season, he officially announced his retirement from professional hockey. 

After his retirement, Lemieux became a player agent and represented a number of players, including former Sharks such as Timo Meier and Fabian Zetterlund. 

Lemieux was in the spotlight once again just a few days ago, as he carried out the torch for the Montreal Canadiens prior to Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Bruce Cassidy doesn't seem very happy with how the Vegas Golden Knights are handling his contract situation and his termination. Cassidy wants to coach, and while it sounds like the Golden Knights haven't said no entirely to the idea he'll take on a head coaching job elsewhere, it's the location they have an issue with. 

Enter the Edmonton Oilers. 

Trending Stories:

Don't Expect Knoblauch To Take Head Coaching Opportunity

Oilers Fire Head Coach Kris Knoblauch, Mark Stuart Also Gone

Oilers' Stan Bowman Talks Coaching Change: Key Takeaways From His Media Availability

During a recent interview with Spittin' Chiclets, Cassidy noted that the Golden Knights have told him that their issue is with where he'll coach if he takes another job. “They just decided they don’t want me working at certain places and I gotta figure out a way to allow me to do that.”

“They just decided they don’t want me working at certain places and I gotta figure out a way to allow me to do that”

Almost sounds like Cassidy wants the #LetsGoOilers coaching job and will figure out a way to make it happen pic.twitter.com/aP1hgbV2cF

— Vivek Kalia (@V_kalia95) May 28, 2026

The comments are intriguing. While he doesn't mention the Oilers specifically, one can logically assume that's a team the Golden Knights would take issue with. A division rival that has been competitive over the past two seasons, sending a quality coach to a rival is a concern. 

However, Cassidy doesn't sound like he's prepared to take this lying down. 

There's probably not much he can do and the NHL has reportedly said they can't step in, given that Vegas is paying him and within their legal rights to block a move while he's under contract. However, that they're stopping him from gaining meaningful employment after firing him seems to be the team taking a step beyond ruthless. 

Some are wondering if the Golden Knights will soften their stance after the playoffs. Others don't believe they will. Meanwhile, Cassidy is going to have to convince the team to let him walk. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

MONTREAL (AP) — Four-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux has died at the age of 60, NHL Alumni Association says.

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

The NHL world is stunned today with the passing of four-time Stanley Cup winning forward Claude Lemieux, who was one of the central figures of the legendary rivalry between the Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche.

Lemieux passed away on Thursday at the age of 60 as confirmed by multiple sources. 

The NHL Alumni Association is devastated to share that Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60.

Born in Buckingham, Quebec, Claude was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft and would make his NHL debut just a few months later… pic.twitter.com/iohlATU6qz

— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) May 28, 2026

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Just days ago, Lemieux was in Montreal carrying the torch prior to their Game 3 Eastern Conference Final matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Claude Lemieux carried the torch for Montreal on Monday before Game 3…

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones ❤️💙 pic.twitter.com/wpmkE47lyi

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 28, 2026

A four-time Stanley Cup winner, Lemieux helped the New Jersey Devils defeat the Red Wings in a shocking four-game sweep in the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, collecting his second Stanley Cup ring.

Moving on to the Avalanche, Lemieux delivered the infamous hit from behind to Red Wings forward Kris Draper in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference Final, effectively sparking what became one of the most iconic rivalries in sports. 

The infamous "Fight Night at the Joe" on March 26, 1997 remains one of the most memorable games in Red Wings history.

Lemieux would later win the Stanley Cup once again with the New Jersey Devils in 2000, and would go on to play for the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and briefly, the San Jose Sharks. 

He would routinely make appearances with former rival Darren McCarty at joint autograph signings. Additionally, he became an NHLPA-certified player agent and included current Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider among his clients. 

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Over the last several years, the Philadelphia Flyers have developed a penchant for making opportunistic buy-low trades, especially for players who were formerly high draft picks.

As they head into the offseason in desperate need of more talent at center and an upgrade on defense, it's time for them to explore this habit once again.

On Thursday morning, The Athletic released its latest NHL trade board as we approach the beginning of June, and it's chock-full of interesting options for the Flyers.

For this article, though, I wanted to focus on Seattle Kraken center Shane Wright, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

Wright, 22, ranks 11th on the new trade board and fourth amongst centers, behind only Vincent Trocheck, Mason McTavish, and Elias Pettersson.

Wright's the youngest of the bunch and coming off the most disappointing season; he scored just 12 goals, 15 assists, and 27 points in 74 games for the Kraken after having 44 points in 79 games last season.

Now entering a contract year, it's now or never for Wright in Seattle, and the Kraken, at this point, aren't obligated to give him that opportunity.

The Burlington, Ontario, native can and will be replaced by prospects Berkly Catton and Jake O'Brien at center behind Matty Beniers, and the Kraken have long been looking for winger upgrades to complement those players.

Of course, it goes almost without saying by now that the Flyers have loads of wingers to trade in a deal that makes sense for them, and this might be one of those deals.

Wright's trade value has never been lower, and that should be music to the Flyers' ears.

In the recent past, the Flyers have shown a demonstrable level of patience when it comes to finding the right trade for them while maintaining interest in the players they want.

This was the case with David Jiricek before he was traded to the Minnesota Wild, and discussions around Trevor Zegras took place over an extended period of time before the deal was finally done last summer.

The Flyers also picked up Owen Tippett, a former No. 10 overall draft pick, in 2022 in the Claude Giroux trade.

That precedent tells us that now is the Flyers' time to trade for Shane Wright.

It has been suggested in the past that the Flyers were not especially interested in Wright, but again, the opportunity is presenting itself to Philadelphia at a great discount.

Wright had 44 points as a 21-year-old in his first full NHL season a year ago, and on the Flyers, he would be playing alongside much more talented wingers, such as Tippett, Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, and Travis Konecny.

It helps, too, that Wright is a right-shot center, one of the reasons the Flyers went out of their way to claim Luke Glendening off waivers a few months back.

Wright, unlike someone such as Jett Luchanko, is already a qualifiable, established NHL center, and with one year on his contract, the Flyers won't be tying themselves to a gaudy undertaking if things don't work out.

For a player who was once widely regarded as 2022's No. 1 overall prospect, this is a chance worth taking for the Flyers.

For every NHL team, including the eventual Stanley Cup winner, summer is a time of change. 

Naturally, the Cup-winning GM would love to stand in front of his team and make the Wolf of Wall Street speech: "We're not leaving! The show goes on!"

But the salary cap, free agency and maybe a retirement or two make that impossible. 

For a GM like Ottawa's Steve Staios, after watching his team get swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and score just five goals in the process, he might have been thinking a month ago that he has some serious work to do this summer to help his team close the gap.

However, the way the Carolina Hurricanes have played this spring may be giving him some new pause for thought.

What if the team that spanked the Senators in Round 1 goes on to just completely trample everyone else and win the Stanley Cup? Doesn't that have at least some effect on Staios’ view of his club and how much change is actually required?

As the 2026 playoffs march on, it's becoming crystal clear that the Hurricanes are a wagon. As of this writing, the Canes are 11-1 in these playoffs, getting timely scoring, solid goaltending and, most of all, they boast an absolutely suffocating defensive structure that the Senators, the Philadelphia Flyers and now the Montreal Canadiens had no answer for.

The Hurricanes have taken a 3-1 series lead on the Canadiens and dominated Game 4, outshooting Montreal 43-18 in a 4-0 victory. Every time cameras cut to Martin St. Louis, he looked completely exasperated, like a man with no answers.

It was a game the Canadiens had to have, and yet they finished the third period with just three shots on goal. 

Carolina is one win away from getting to the Cup final in just 13 games. The all-time NHL record (four rounds, all seven-game series) for fewest games needed to win a Cup is 18. That’s how good Carolina is.

Sure, no matter how you slice it, getting swept in round one was disappointing for the Sens organization and the fan base, but it's becoming obvious there's no shame in it.

The Senators were one of the best teams in the NHL in the second half of the season, but because they got off to a rough start thanks to poor goaltending, their punishment was getting pinned as the lowest seed and having to play the very best team right away.

Carolina isn't just good. They're hungry, they're filled with experience, and they're covered in playoff scars.

In 2019, they lost in the Conference Final. In 2020, they lost in the first round. In 2021 and 2022, they lost in the second round. In 2023, they lost in the Conference Final again. In 2024, the second round. In 2025, another loss in the conference final.

This is a group that is clearly being driven by the sting of all those past playoff failures, and all those hard lessons are now well-learned. They work hard, they sweat the small stuff, and they're doing whatever it takes to avoid reliving the heartbreaks of the past.

The Senators will have some of that motivation next season, too, though not to the same degree as 2026 Carolina.

The good news is that if the Hurricanes do win it all this year, there will be solace in that for the Sens. It sucks to be swept. It sucks less to be swept by the Cup champs. Meanwhile, the hunger fueling the 'Canes right now may become difficult to replicate next season, which could allow famished teams like Ottawa to close the gap.

There will be changes this summer because there always are. But the Senators may be closer to contention than they appeared to be a month ago.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News 

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. Read more at THN.com/Ottawa.

Former Senators Defenseman Enters Ottawa Sport Hall Of Fame Wednesday NightThe Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame will honour Jason York's 757-game career, more than half of it played with the Senators.

The Hockey News is currently in the process of revealing its Top 100 NHL players of the 2025-26 season rankings. So far, The Hockey News has revealed players 100 to 71.

One Buffalo Sabres star has made the rankings so far, as Alex Tuch made the cut. 

Tuch was given the No. 97 spot on The Hockey News' rankings. When looking at the season he put together for the Sabres, it makes sense that he has been ranked among the NHL's top players from this season. 

In 79 games this season with the Sabres, the 6-foot-4 forward recorded 33 goals, 33 assists, 66 points, 82 hits, and a plus-24 rating. With numbers like these, the pending unrestricted free agent is setting himself up for a nice raise, whether he re-signs with the Sabres or joins another club. 

Tuch did not make The Hockey News' top players rankings for the 2024-25 season. This was after he had 36 goals and 67 points in 82 games during last season. 

In 360 games over five seasons with the Sabres, Tuch has recorded 139 goals, 170 assists, 309 points, and a plus-60 rating. With numbers like these, he has been a very good player for the Sabres, and it will be interesting to see if he ends up staying put. 

The Philadelphia Flyers made enormous strides across all positions this season. They became faster, more organized, more emotionally resilient, and significantly more difficult to play against.

Their postseason run proved they are no longer simply a rebuilding team trying to survive meaningful hockey games. It also exposed something important to address this summer.

The Flyers still need another legitimate top-four defenseman.

Not because their current group failed. In many ways, the exact opposite is true. Philadelphia’s defense corps performed admirably considering the pressure it was placed under, particularly against one of the most suffocating forechecking teams in hockey against the Carolina Hurricanes. The issue is that that series highlighted how thin the margin for error becomes when a team relies too heavily on one or two defenders to absorb chaos shift after shift.

The Flyers have built a respectable blue line. They have not necessarily built a fully insulated one.

---

Travis Sanheim Is Carrying an Enormous Burden

Sanheim had arguably the best all-around season of his career, recently being named as one of the NHL's top 100 players of the 2025-26 campaign. He skated pucks out cleanly and closed gaps early. He defended the rush aggressively instead of retreating into survival mode. And, most importantly, he continued to be reliable in playing enormous minutes without his game falling apart physically or mentally.

The problem is that the Flyers still leaned on him to solve almost every difficult defensive sequence—defensive-zone faceoffs, heavy forecheck shifts, penalty kill, late-game situations, transition recovery, top competition. He was essentially the emergency solution for every structural problem the roster encountered.

That is not sustainable long-term if the Flyers want to evolve from “dangerous playoff team” into legitimate contender.

A defense corps becomes truly dangerous when a team can spread those responsibilities across multiple pairings instead of overloading one player. Philadelphia is not quite there yet.

---

Jamie Drysdale’s Encouraging Growth

Drysdale became one of the—if not the—most important developments of the Flyers’ season.

The raw talent was never the question. The organization knew they were getting a skilled, smart, "rover"-style defenseman in Drysdale when they acquired him in 2024. The concern was whether his game would stabilize enough defensively to justify top-four deployment against elite teams. This season, it finally started to happen.

His retrievals became cleaner, and his confidence under pressure improved noticeably. He stopped forcing low-percentage plays quite as often and began understanding when to accelerate play versus when to simplify it. Most importantly, his skating became an actual defensive weapon again rather than merely an offensive tool.

That said, Drysdale still profiles best beside a steadying presence.

His pairing with Cam York has not been a bad one by any stretch of the imagination, but some of Drysdale’s toughest moments came during prolonged defensive-zone sequences where he was repeatedly forced into physical net-front battles after failed clears or extended cycles. He competed hard, but that is not necessarily the optimal usage for him over an 82-game season and deep playoff run.

The Flyers need another defenseman who can absorb difficult defensive minutes while still moving the puck efficiently enough to survive against heavy pressure teams, and who can allow the more offensive-minded, free-flowing players like Drysdale and York to be effective on both ends of the ice. 

The key is finding someone who isn't a pure shutdown defender who kills offense, but someone who is not another offensive rover who duplicates Drysdale’s strengths. The Flyers could benefit from someone who stabilizes the entire structure, and is responsible enough to let their wealth of offensive defensemen really shine without risking defensive mistakes.

---

Cam York Took a Necessary Step Forward

Cam York deserves major credit for responding after an uneven prior season.

This year, his game looked calmer and more mature. His puck management improved substantially, and he became far more reliable navigating defensive pressure without defaulting to glass-and-out hockey.

THE FLYERS WIN IT IN OVERTIME, THEY WIN THE SERIES 🚨

CAM YORK THE HERO, THE STICK THROW INTO THE CROWD 😱 pic.twitter.com/sviP6IFoyv

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 30, 2026

That response is important because the Flyers need defensemen who can actually exit cleanly against aggressive forechecks. Teams that simply rim pucks away eventually get trapped shift after shift until they break. York handled that challenge far better this season than he had previously.

But there is still a difference between being a solid top-four option and being someone capable of driving a matchup against elite postseason pressure. York is trending in the right direction, but the Flyers still lack one more proven stabilizer who can insulate everybody beneath him in the lineup hierarchy.

Adding another legitimate top-four defenseman would not just help the top pairing, but would improve everybody’s slotting.

That happens, and suddenly York is facing slightly easier matchups; Drysdale gets cleaner offensive usage; Sanheim is not playing half the game; Nick Seeler and Rasmus Ristolainen are not overextended physically by May.

Depth on defense is never really about the sixth defenseman. It is about how much pressure gets removed from the top four.

---

Rasmus Ristolainen Still Matters, But Age and Wear Are Factors

Ristolainen remains an important contributor to this team.

His physicality changes shifts. Especially after the Olympic break, he closed plays early and created discomfort around the crease. In playoff hockey, those things still matter significantly. The Flyers do not have many defensemen with his size profile or ability to physically wear down opponents over a series.

But he is also entering the stage of his career where usage has to be managed intelligently. The Flyers cannot keep asking him to consistently absorb brutal forechecking pressure, heavy defensive-zone deployment, and physically taxing hockey without reinforcement around him, especially with his injury history.

The issue is not that Ristolainen cannot still help a contender—the Flyers have made it clear that they fully trust him to be a consistent blue line presence—but it's that Philadelphia currently needs him to do slightly too much.

---

The Emil Andrae Situation Is Becoming Difficult to Ignore

This may be the organization’s most fascinating blue-line dilemma.

Emil Andrae looks capable of helping the Flyers play faster offensively. His instincts are obvious. His passing pops immediately. He processes offensive-zone movement quickly and gives the power play a different kind of fluidity.

Yet the Flyers still hesitate to fully commit to him.

Some of that likely comes down to trust defensively. While Andrae plays a gritty, fearless game that belies his 5'9" stature, it doesn't change the fact that smaller defensemen are relentlessly targeted below the goal line. Coaches worry about retrieval battles, cycle coverage, and net-front matchups becoming exploitable weaknesses over seven-game series. That concern is understandable, but there is also a point where organizational indecision becomes counterproductive.

Andrae is 24 years old. He has little, if anything, left to prove offensively at the AHL level. If the Flyers truly believe he can become an NHL regular, he needs real NHL minutes consistently enough to work through mistakes and develop rhythm.

If they do not believe that, then they owe it to both the player and the roster construction process to make a concrete decision. Because right now, he exists in an awkward middle ground: too skilled for prolonged AHL usage, but not fully trusted for NHL deployment.

---

Why They Are Not Rushing Oliver Bonk or David Jiricek

While the Flyers are a team that prioritizes giving young players real chances when they've earned them, the team deserves props for resisting the temptation to accelerate their prospects too quickly. Danny Briere said as much when it comes to their plans for deploying Bonk and Jiricek at the NHL level.

Bonk’s NHL debut showed why the organization is rightfully excited about him. He looked poised, intelligent, and offensively composed. He has all the tools to be an NHL regular, but defensemen require a different developmental timeline, and the Flyers would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to integrating Bonk into the team. The 21-year-old seems to be first on their list when it comes to a next man up, but they're correctly making a point to not shoehorn him before they trust he can handle it.

The same applies to 22-year-old David Jiricek. Young defensemen almost always need time, particularly defensemen expected to handle difficult minutes against top competition. 

The Flyers are trying to build something sustainable. Throwing Bonk or Jiricek into roles before they are structurally ready could hurt development more than help it.

That patience is the correct approach, but it also reinforces why the Flyers still need another established NHL defenseman now.

---

Two Realistic Targets

Dante Fabbro

Fabbro would be a clean fit for what the Flyers need. He is not flashy, but that is partially why he works for Philadelphia. Fabbro defends rushes well, moves pucks efficiently, and understands positional structure. He would not require power-play touches to justify his role, and he could comfortably stabilize second-pair minutes while easing Sanheim’s workload.

Dante Fabbro plays it perfectly 🚨 pic.twitter.com/oxizSY5kps

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 14, 2026

Most importantly, he plays a composed style that translates well against aggressive forechecking systems. Fabbro fits that archetype of a valuable calm retrieval-and-exit defenseman.

He is currently signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets through the 2028-29 season with an AAV of $4.1 million, which would be a reasonable price to pay with the role he'd be suited for in Philadelphia, considering how Briere stated in his end-of-season press conference that the Flyers have a comfortable amount of cap space to utilize.

Mario Ferraro

Mario Ferraro is another intriguing option.

David Pagnotta: Mario Ferraro...wants term, that's why he's not staying in San Jose, the Sharks are only willing to give him a 2, 3 year extension and he's looking for 5, 6 years plus; he wanted to stay - Leafs Morning Take (5/26)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) May 27, 2026

Currently a UFA after completing a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25 million AAV) with the San Jose Sharks, Ferraro plays with pace, competes relentlessly, and thrives in transition-heavy environments. He is not a traditional towering shutdown defender, but his mobility and aggression make him effective disrupting forechecks early before sequences fully develop. He would also fit stylistically with how Tocchet wants the Flyers to play: aggressive, quick, direct, and emotionally engaged.

Ferraro may not be a true No. 1 defenseman, but he could absolutely become the kind of experienced second-pair stabilizer that pushes an entire defensive group into a healthier structure. And that is what the Flyers are really searching for now.

The Hockey News is currently in the process of revealing its Top 100 NHL players of the 2025-26 season rankings. So far, The Hockey News has revealed players 100 to 71. 

Two Pittsburgh Penguins have made the rankings so far, as Erik Karlsson and Evgeni Malkin both made the cut. 

Karlsson was given the No. 98 ranking by The Hockey News. It is not surprising to see Karlsson make these rankings, as he turned back the clock in a big way this season. In 75 games this season with the Penguins, he recorded 15 goals, 51 assists, 66 points, and a plus-8 rating. He was a significant reason for Pittsburgh's turnaround this season due to his strong all-around play.

As for Malkin, he was given the No. 84 spot in The Hockey News' rankings. The 39-year-old forward was excellent this season for Pittsburgh, posting 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games. With numbers like these, Malkin demonstrated that he can still be a star in the NHL. It also helped him land a one-year contract extension to stay in Pittsburgh. 

Overall, the Penguins got some excellent value from both Karlsson and Malkin this season. It will be intriguing to see what kind of years they put together in 2026-27 from here. 

The Hockey News revealed players 71 to 80 on their Top 100 NHL Players In 2026 rankings. A Philadelphia Flyers defenseman was among the players listed, as Travis Sanheim made the cut. 

Sanheim was given the No. 72 spot in the Hockey News' rankings, and it is understandable when looking at the year he had. In 81 games this season with the Flyers, the 30-year-old blueliner recorded 11 goals, 26 assists, 37 points, 152 blocks, and a plus-12 rating. With numbers like these, Sanheim had a strong all-around season for the Flyers and was a notable reason for them taking a big step in the right direction this campaign.

\n\n

Sanheim also moved up in The Hockey News' rankings compared to last season. This is because The Hockey News ranked him as the 86th best player in the NHL during the 2024-25 season. 

Sanheim will now be looking to build off his strong 2025-26 campaign by having another good year next season. He is one of the Flyers' most important defensemen, and it will be interesting to see what he can do next season for the Metropolitan Division club from here.