The Philadelphia Flyers have been connected to a host of different centers in trade rumors this offseason, but there's still one nobody is talking about.
Young centers like Mason McTavish and Marco Rossi are drawing most of the attention these days, but rarely, if ever, does the Florida Panthers' Anton Lundell get brought up in these discussions.
But, why should he after winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years?
The answer is simple: the Panthers may not be able to afford to keep him due to their salary cap situation; they're currently $3.725 million over the cap ceiling.
Forward Evan Rodrigues has been floated as a trade candidate due to his $3 million cap hit. The Panthers can then make up the difference by assigning another forward to the AHL if and when necessary.
But, teams know the Panthers need to shed money to become cap compliant. That's where a team like the Flyers, with all their prospects and future draft capital, can strong-arm the Panthers into giving up a higher value asset like Lundell.
Lundell, 23, is signed through 2030 at a $5 million cap hit and doesn't have trade protection at any point in the deal.
Despite slotting in behind Sam Bennett and captain Sasha Barkov in the Panthers' lineup, Lundell has still impressively managed 44 and 45 points, respectively, in two of his four NHL seasons so far.
Most importantly, at least for the Flyers, is the Finn's playoff performances thus far.
Lundell has already played 77 playoff games, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last three years and winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025.
In those 77 games, the former No. 12 overall pick has 12 goals, 34 assists, and 46 points, including nine goals, 26 assists, and 35 points in his last 47 games, which culminated in two Stanley Cups.
Between Lundell, Trevor Zegras, Jack Nesbitt, Jett Luchanko, Jack Berglund, and Heikki Ruohonen, the Flyers should be set down the middle for the long haul.
As for a potential Flyers trade package, Philadelphia doesn't have much, at least for the sake of saving cap space, of use to Florida, though a player like Bobby Brink could make some sense, just not on his own.
The 24-year-old winger has one year remaining on his contract at an extraordinarily reasonable $1.5 million cap hit and will be an RFA upon its expiry next summer.
Brink quietly posted a career-high 41 points last season, even while primarily featuring on a checking line alongside Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.
That would bode well for the Panthers, given the style they like to play.
So long as Brink continues to develop, or even maintains this level of play, he's as much of a long-term asset as Lundell, just at a different position.
It should be noted that the Flyers have their first three picks in each of the next three drafts, including two first-round picks in 2027.
They more than likely won't be willing to move their 2026 first-round pick, which could land them Gavin McKenna, but the Flyers have plenty of draft capital to pony up for the Panthers.
The Panthers can then, in turn, convert those assets into a player at the trade deadline to aid them in their quest for a three-peat and beyond.
Panthers GM Bill Zito is smarter than to be coerced into giving up a young stud like Lundell, but even Tom Brady had bad games.
Let's see how the next few weeks unfold if the Flyers attempt to stay active.
