Matvei Michkov’s early arrival to the Flyers could impact their offseason plans. Here’s how.

The question is no longer if, but when.

Matvei Michkov is set to descend onto the Philadelphia sports scene in a matter of weeks. The Flyers the top-rated prospect was officially released by his Kontinental Hockey League team on Tuesday, despite having two years remaining on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg.

As we await the official news of his inking a deal with the Flyers, the addition of the 19-year-old right winger to the lineup creates a bit of intrigue for the upcoming season.

» READ MORE: Sielski: Matvei Michkov has been hyped as the Flyers’ savior. Please, everyone, be patient.

The Flyers already have six right wingers — Owen Tippett, Garnet Hathaway, Travis Konecny, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Cam Atkinson — who played for the big club in 2023-24. There’s also Samu Tuomaala, who played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season.

Tippett and Foerster spent much of this past season playing their off-wings. Considering that Tippett had 28 goals and 53 points in 78 games and Foerster had 20 goals and 33 points in 77 games, garnering Calder Trophy consideration, it was a pretty successful campaign. So that knocks two guys to the left wing, leaving Konecny, Brink, Hathaway, Tuomaala, and Atkinson.

Among the remaining five, Hathaway is guaranteed a spot in the bottom six. Brink and Tuomaala may compete for NHL jobs, but they could start the season with Lehigh Valley. But what happens if those guys are ready to play for the Flyers, too?

Atkinson is coming off a year in which he was a healthy scratch for a dozen games after the new year and finished with 13 goals and 28 points in 70 games. The one thing in his favor is that he had missed the entire 2022-23 season following neck surgery, and now fully healthy and with a year under his belt, could refind his game. But his name has sprung up in trade rumors, and Flyers general manager Danny Brière told The Inquirer he is a buyout candidate. Konecny’s name also has popped up in trade rumors as the Flyers’ top scorer is due for a raise when his contract expires after the upcoming season.

The issue with the Flyers, outside of a logjam, is that there isn’t much money to go around. According to Puckpedia, the club has about $804,000 in cap space for next season — and they still need to sign, at the minimum, Brink, restricted free agent Egor Zamula, and now Michkov. The 19-year-old Michkov will sign an entry-level contract, with the maximum set at $950,000; the team can add performance and signing bonuses that do not count against the cap.

So what does it mean?

Although the team has a lot of dead cap space because of retaining salary on Kevin Hayes and buying out Tony DeAngelo, they also will have the ability to place Ryan Ellis and Ryan Johansen, on long-term injured reserve. But while the space could be a little more than $11 million when adding in LTIR, according to CapFriendly, it still could be not enough to complete all their business — signing Brink, Zamula, Michkov, unrestricted free agent Erik Johnson, whom the GM says he wants back, and filling holes and possibly upgrading with outside resources.

So, expect the Flyers to make some moves.

» READ MORE: Flyers draft: Defenseman Harrison Brunicke has one intangible John Tortorella is looking for

The Fourth Period reported on Monday that the Flyers are interested in Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras. It is not the first time Zegras, a friend of Cam York and Jamie Drysdale, has been connected to the team. The report also includes the Carolina Hurricanes’ interest in Konecny, with the Flyers being interested in disgruntled Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, but no trade is imminent.

Rumors also swirled recently regarding a deal with the Ottawa Senators that would include draft picks and player swaps. With money tight and a few in-house boxes needing to be checked soon, there is a strong expectation the first domino will be a trade.

Brière told The Inquirer at the NHL Scouting Combine — and reiterated it last week during his predraft news conference — that he’s expecting a quiet July 1. And that still could be the case, but adding Michkov does make the Flyers an intriguing destination for the rest of the league.

Flyers brass and coach John Tortorella stated repeatedly during the season that the team is in a rebuild and that it doesn’t have the talent to take that next step. Adding Michkov certainly influences the latter. Will it take some time for the Flyers to be a Stanley Cup contender? Sure. But like Connor Bedard’s addition to the Chicago Blackhawks — a teenager who was drafted just a few spots above Michkov — it made his team a destination.

Regardless of who the Flyers take with their two picks in the first round, do not expect either player to suit up in the coming season. But does the addition of Michkov impact which position the Flyers set their sights on? Maybe.

The Flyers have long said they are looking to take the best player available, but they are lacking center depth, and having a high-end talent to play alongside their star right winger definitely is intriguing.

» READ MORE: Flyers draft: Prospect Berkly Catton may not be big, but ‘my brain is bigger.’ And he can score.

Inside that Senators trade rumor was the swapping of picks. If the Flyers do move up — or if they hope he drops — there is a strong chance the club will draft a center, particularly Berkly Catton. He is known for being a creative, talented, speedy center who could keep up with the likes of Michkov.