The Philadelphia Flyers were viewed as a potential fit for superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes, but that thought can now be forgotten.
The Minnesota Wild have won the Hughes sweepstakes, as they acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren, and a 2026 first-round pick.
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With Hughes officially no longer a potential option for the Flyers, let’s look at three defensemen Philadelphia should consider targeting to improve its blueline.
Bowen Byram, Buffalo Sabres
With the Sabres once again struggling this season, Byram’s name has been floating around the rumor mill. At 24 years old, he would have the potential to be a nice fit on a Flyers club that is on the rise. In 31 games this season with Buffalo, he has recorded six goals and 13 points. With this, he would be a nice addition to the Flyers’ top four if brought in.
Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim Ducks
Mintyukov is a very intriguing defenseman in the rumor mill right now. The 2022 tenth-overall pick has had trouble finding his fit with the Ducks and could benefit from a change of scenery. With the 22-year-old blueliner having good upside, he could be a nice player for the Flyers to take a chance on. In 28 games so far this season, he has recorded two goals and seven points.
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Mario Ferraro, San Jose Sharks
If the Flyers remain in the playoff hunt near the deadline, Ferraro would be a solid pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) for them to bring in to strengthen their top four. The 27-year-old is more of a defensive defenseman, but he does his job well. In 32 games so far this season with the Sharks, he has recorded one goal, seven points, 60 hits, 70 blocks, and a plus-8 rating.
