What do the Flyers do with Scott Laughton, Sean Walker, and Travis Konecny at the trade deadline

There’s a giant clock hanging over Danny Brière and it’s ticking away.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Every second that goes by between now and 3 p.m. March 8 will weigh heavily on the Flyers general manager as he heads towards his first NHL trade deadline. And there are more than a million seconds between now and then with probably what feels like a million scenarios to consider.

The good news is the Flyers reside in playoff position and also have a little breathing room as they sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division. But, well, for the Flyers, that’s also the bad news. This team wasn’t supposed to be knee-deep in a postseason push this soon. This team is supposed to be at the very start of a rebuild.

» READ MORE: Flyers have several players in limbo as the March 8 trade deadline nears

Instead, well, things escalated quickly.

So what is Brière to do? Does he maintain the status quo in regards to the rebuild? Does he maybe nab a guy or two who can help this team advance to the postseason for the first time since the 2020 bubble? There are a lot of balls, er, pucks in the air as time winds down.

One thing for certain is the Flyers’ brass have their ears open and — barring another outage — their cell phones on. Coach John Tortorella revealed on Monday that he has spoken with the players who could be moved at the trade deadline, confirming that guys’ ears are burning for a reason.

“I asked Danny if I could talk to them. I want to show them as much respect as I possibly can and not have something sprung on them,” said Tortorella. “Myself, [Keith Jones], and Danny have been very transparent with the group leading up to this deadline where we sit as far as the organization. The whole team knows where we stand, and I think that’s just showing them respect.”

Brière has also been transparent in stating that despite the Flyers’ success, the organization has to stay the course with the rebuild. So with that, it is important for the team to make some trades. They have guys who are eligible to walk come July 1 and veterans whose stock will never be higher.

Considered a throw-in from the Los Angeles Kings in the Ivan Provorov trade, Sean Walker has been a pleasant surprise for the Flyers. Skating alongside Nick Seeler, the blueliners have become a steady, reliable defensive pair for Tortorella at both ends of the ice. And though Walker provides stability, the biggest crux to keeping him around for the stretch run is that he is a pending unrestricted free agent.

Walker, 29, is deserving of a hefty pay raise, and the Flyers may not be able to meet his salary expectations — after all, they are consistently playing seven defensemen because of an abundance of blueliners and have a few more waiting up the road in Lehigh Valley.

Add in that the Flyers acquired Jamie Drysdale, a younger version of Walker with a higher ceiling, and all signs point to him being on the move. And why not?

Getting something for Walker now — maybe a first-rounder? — from a Stanley Cup contender scrambling to shore up its blue line would be a huge move for Brière, especially given that Walker’s value will likely never be higher.

“Obviously, there’s some tough decisions that might have to be made and, you know, some negotiations that potentially could happen,” Walker said. “So just kind of try to keep it at the back of my mind right now and take it day by day and play the best I can, and I’m sure everything will take care of itself.”

Could they? Sure. Would they? That’s a deeper question to ponder.

The only guy wearing a letter until a week ago, Scott Laughton is a strong veteran presence in the room. Yes, he’s had an up-and-down year, but he’s also a reliable 200-foot guy who can play special teams and is a critical component of the Flyers “power kill.” His leadership on and off the ice along with his skill set — and he’s a center with two more years of contract control — makes Laughton a hot commodity for teams looking to bolster their depth for a deep run.

» READ MORE: Opinion: The Flyers can’t afford to trade their ‘glue guy,’ Scott Laughton

The Flyers just signed Ryan Poehling to a two-year deal, and the 25-year-old is growing more and more into the role the homegrown Laughton built for himself. But trading away the respected veteran could leave a lasting impact on the chemistry and family vibe in the locker room.

It’s a dilemma that will surely keep Brière and Co. up as the clock ticks, because getting something that can help in the future for a guy who will be 30 in May and is playing in your bottom six would normally be an ideal situation.

There are strong rumors that the Flyers thought about trading him over the summer for a first-rounder. Now the ask is reportedly the same, and you’d have to think there are willing suitors as teams start to evaluate how thin they are down the middle.

A couple of other names have popped up in the rumor mill. Seeler is a name that was mentioned early on as trade bait, but it seems the Flyers are more than happy to keep the tough, shot-blocking machine. Like his buddy Walker, Seeler will be a UFA due for a significant pay raise — and a one-way contract; he’s making $775,000 on a two-way this season.

Seeler fits the mold of a Tortorella guy, and captain Sean Couturier said, “He’s got that Flyer identity in him.” You’d have to think he’ll be around for a while in orange and black.

As for Rasmus Ristolainen, who is injured, has three years remaining at a cap hit of $5.1 million. With a gluttony of defensemen, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Flyers moved on from the 29-year-old. But with him being on the shelf, that looks to be something more for Brière’s summer checklist.

Some fans have been calling for Travis Sanheim to be moved, but that’s a pipe dream. He is signed for seven more years and has a no-move clause.

Finally, what about the other member of the Travii? Tavis Konecny, 26, will have one year left on his current deal and, like the majority of the guys on this list, is due for a major raise. He represented the Flyers in the All-Star Game and leads the team in goals (27) and points (54) this season, so there is no reason to think the Flyers don’t want to keep him for the long run.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ Travis Konecny has blossomed from ‘rat’ into one of the NHL’s top goal scorers