What’s up with Ivan Provorov? Could Johnny Gaudreau be a signing target this summer? | Flyers roundtable

The Flyers, who are in the midst of a lost season, continue to struggle both in the standings and with injuries. Decimated by injuries to key players like Ryan Ellis, Sean Couturier and Kevin Hayes, the team has now lost 19 of its last 21 games. But have there been any positives? We asked our beat reporters Giana Han and Olivia Reiner to answer that very question and address some other key happenings surrounding the team and its future.

GH: The Colorado Avalanche, the St. Louis Blues and the Florida Panthers have all been mentioned as possibilities for Giroux. Last Giroux spoke, he said he and Fletcher have not discussed a potential trade, but there have been rumors Giroux’s been talking with his agent. It would make sense for the Flyers to let him play his 1,000th game and then see what they can get for him with the pressure of the trade deadline closing in. I could see him in an Avalanche jersey, given he wants to win a cup and they’ve got the best record in the league.

OR: Giroux is currently in the final year of his deal with the Flyers and is reportedly working with his agent, Pat Brisson, to gauge interest among teams potentially in need of his services prior to the March 21 trade deadline. For now, he’s a Flyer, and he’s approaching his 1,000th game on March 17 against the Nashville Predators. My prediction is that by March 22, he won’t be wearing a Flyers jersey. If his priority is to go to the best team in the league with the greatest chance to win the Stanley Cup this year, then he should go to the Colorado Avalanche if the interest is mutual.

» READ MORE: What would a Claude Giroux trade look like for the Flyers?

GH: For me, two of the most important developments are Scott Laughton and Isaac Ratcliffe’s play. Laughton has scored 14 points in 16 games. Ratcliffe earned his way on to the top line and the power play after just seven games. Laughton has been wearing the “A” in Sean Couturier’s absence, and he’s signed through the 2025-26 season. Since the Flyers have committed to him for so long, it’s good to see some production. Ratcliffe is a young player with many years ahead of him. While the return of injured players may send him back to the Phantoms, it’s good to know there’s someone to look forward to in the future.

OR: Twenty-nine-year-old Gerry Mayhew’s rise from AHL star to NHL regular, thanks to myriad injuries up and down the Flyers’ forward depth chart, is one of the more feel-good stories from this season. It’s a small sample size, but 23-year-old Ratcliffe has played well in eight games (one goal, three assists) and may not have been called up had the Flyers not dealt with as many injuries as they have this season. In short, players who might not have otherwise received opportunities have earned them this season. Additionally, goalie Carter Hart has rebounded well after a down 2020-21 season that saw him post an .877 save percentage and 3.67 goals against average.

GH: Provorov has been a part of multiple defensive breakdowns, including some that have led to game-losing goals. He’s -12 this season. There’s no doubt that he’s been part of the problem. However, Yeo spoke on Provorov and said what he’s seen from ice level is that Provorov is trying hard to carry the team on his back. As a result, he’s doing too much, and it’s hurting his game. He’s also been missing the partner that the Flyers specifically brought in to help highlight his skills. Considering Yeo’s perspective and Fletcher’s hope for Ryan Ellis’ return next year, I would guess Provorov will likely be on the team next season.

OR: There’s no question that Provorov has made some glaring mistakes this season. Yeo said on Thursday that Provorov “tries to win the game for us every time he’s out on the ice” when the team’s not doing well, which leads him to put himself in bad positions. Despite that, Yeo has shown that he still has a lot of confidence in Provorov on a nightly basis. He’s averaging 25 minutes and 13 seconds of ice time per game, a career-high, he’s consistently been the quarterback on either power-play unit, and he’s one of the team’s top penalty killers. Ultimately, Provorov is under contract for three more seasons at $6.75 million average annual value. It wouldn’t surprise me if Fletcher wants to see his big offseason acquisition Ellis, finally healthy, alongside Provorov on opening night.

GH: The Predators have seemed open to trading Forsberg. The Flames have called keeping Gaudreau a “done deal” recently. With that said, if the Flyers could lure Gaudreau home, it would be a win and would make the biggest of splashes for the hometown crowd that wants to see its local hero return. Both are goal scorers, which the Flyers need, but Forsberg also brings a more physical element that Fletcher was looking for ahead of the last trade deadline. No matter what, Gaudreau will always win out with the home crowd.

OR: I think the Flyers fanbase would throw a parade if Fletcher somehow managed to lure South Jersey’s Gaudreau to the team this offseason. Gaudreau is viewed as one of the league’s top playmakers who also has an ability to put the puck in the net — in 50 games this season, Gaudreau has registered 20 goals and 44 assists. He’s also become a solid 200-foot player. Forsberg, a center, is a prolific scorer and has had a dynamite season, averaging 1.13 points (.67 goals) per game. Either would be a boon for the Flyers, especially given the potential lack of depth at left wing after the 2022-23 season (James van Riemsdyk and Oskar Lindblom will become unrestricted and restricted free agents, respectively). If Fletcher is looking to get his fanbase excited about the future (especially if Giroux is gone), Gaudreau would be quite the addition. But both Gaudreau and Forsberg will warrant hefty price tags.

GH: While Yeo said Hayes has been getting close, he also didn’t rule out the possibility of another surgery. He said Hayes has talked to many, many people to figure out what he should do. While some may see him returning as a risk, others see surgery as the greater one. There’s also the possibility that his particular injury needs to be played through to heal. And of course, it will also help him mentally and emotionally to be back out there. Just looking at the numbers, it is hard to believe he would come back this season, but people with much more knowledge and information will make the decision.

OR: It’s difficult to understand why the team would bring Hayes back for a third time this season simply because we, as the general public, don’t have all of the information that the medical staff does. From the outside, common sense indicates that bringing Hayes back after multiple failed attempts would be reckless. But the team doctors are on the inside and are privy to all of the details surrounding Hayes and his injuries. Yeo stressed on Thursday that Hayes is approaching the return with caution; he’s received multiple opinions from various medical professionals, and he’s committed to the team long term. He won’t jeopardize his long-term health just to play a few more games this year. Yeo also said in a general sense that returning to play this season could even help Hayes next season. No decisions on Hayes have been made official yet, so we’ll see what happens.