Oilers Must Target Flyers' Travis Konecny amid Latest NHL Trade Rumors

With the Stanley Cup Final approaching its conclusion, the rest of the NHL is already looking ahead to the offseason.

While not every team can have realistic dreams of being where the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers currently are, the Edmonton Oilers should be thinking of chasing a championship.

Edmonton finished with 50 wins, led the league in goals scored and fell to the Golden Knights—who just might be the best team in hockey—in the second round. The time for general manager Ken Holland to go all-in is now.

The Oilers, it seems, may have already identified an early trade target in Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny.

"The Philadelphia Flyers are open for business this off-season," Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal wrote. "And a contact of mine with connections to the player reports that the Oilers are one of the teams that has reached out to ask about Travis Konecny."

The 26-year-old, who had 31 goals and 30 assists in 60 games this past season, would be a terrific addition to the Oilers. Edmonton isn't exactly hurting for offensive help, but would any team with Stanley Cup aspirations turn down another playmaker?

The answer is no, and Konecny's offensive prowess is only part of the equation. Just as important is the fact that he has two years left on his remaining deal with reasonable cap hits of $5.5 million in each.

That's a manageable sum for the Oilers, who are projected to have $6 million in cap space next season. It would also give Edmonton a two-year window with Konecny, assuming he can't be talked into an extension.

Konecny was born in London, Ontario, has played for the Canadian national team and may welcome a chance to stay in his home country. He wouldn't represent a one-year rental, and he could become a core building block.

The question is whether Edmonton can pry Konecny away from Philadelphia. The reasons why he's an attractive trade target are the same reasons why the Flyers may want to hold onto him.

As Leavins and others have noted, though, Philadelphia is open to moving players.

From The Athletic:

"GM Danny Briere is open for business and listening on almost anyone who would help the organization get younger and fit into his long-term vision. So yes, he's listening on the likes of Carter Hart (No. 5 on the trade board), Travis Konecny (6) and Scott Laughton (21). Konecny would be a great, top-six pickup for a contender. Edmonton and Carolina make sense as suitors."

It would seem Konecny would indeed be available for the right price. For Edmonton, the challenge might be presenting a trade package that moves the needle for Philadelphia. The Oilers don't have a first-round pick this year because that was part of the February trade that landed Mattias Ekholm.

In fact, the Oilers only have second-, sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2023 because of trades. A package centered on draft capital might have to be centered on future picks, and Philadelphia might prefer a more immediate return.

The Oilers could sweeten the pot by including 21-year-old defenseman Philip Broberg. That's the buzz, anyway, from Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period:

Including Broberg could be a win-win for both franchises. Though a fine defensive prospect, he hasn't quite developed as quickly as the Oilers might have hoped. The 2019 No. 8 overall pick has appeared in only 69 games for Edmonton.

The Swede doesn't project as an integral piece to an Oilers playoff run, and he'll be a restricted free agent in 2024. A change of scenery could benefit him, and the Flyers—who allowed the 10th most goals this past season—might welcome the chance to develop Broberg.

Other players and picks would likely have to be involved to land Konecny, but Broberg is a fine starting point.

It's an option that Holland has to consider this offseason, and Konecny needs to be high on Edmonton's priority list. He's the perfect candidate from financial and franchise-building standpoints to kick off the Oilers' search for new talent before free agency begins on July 1.