5 NHL Trade Landing Spots for Travis Konecny Amid NHL Rumors

The miserable start to the season for the Philadelphia Flyers has everyone looking for answers to find a way out.

With an 0-5-3 record and already sporting a minus-21 goal differential, they need to get things right before it gets too far gone.

Unfortunately, whenever there's a bad start, rumors start running wild and the latest one to pop up has to do with the team's leading scorer over the past few seasons, winger Travis Konecny.

Daily Faceoff reported that the Flyers could ask the 29-year-old to waive his no-movement clause if their struggles continue. Trading him could shake up the roster and bring back players who address Philadelphia's needs, but there are significant obstacles to a deal.

First, Konecny has a full no-move clause, giving him final say on any potential trade. Second, his contract carries an $8.75 million annual salary cap hit through the 2032-33 season. Even though that cap hit has become increasingly affordable, trading him would still be difficult.

If the Flyers are willing to clear those hurdles and make a bold move, these teams should be at the front of the line to pursue Konecny.

Montréal Canadiens

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Like the Philadelphia Flyers, the Montréal Canadiens sought to strengthen their roster over the summer.

Picture the two teams making a blockbuster trade that sends Konecny to the Habs—and what he could add to Montréal's already highly skilled lineup.

Adding Konecny to the Canadiens' roster would help replace the grit, feistiness and ability to frustrate opponents that Brendan Gallagher provided for so many years. Konecny's similarities to the former Habs fixture would make him a natural fit.

The Canadiens' deep prospect pipeline could help bring Philly to the negotiating table, and they also have veterans they could move. Those options could be important, as the Flyers would likely want a "hockey trade" before asking Konecny to consider waiving his no-move protection.

Trading Konecny within the Eastern Conference wouldn't be overly appealing for the Flyers, but Montréal's ability to sweeten any offer would make it difficult to pass up.

Edmonton Oilers

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The Oilers are cooking to start the year despite missing several key players, including Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and goalie Frederik Andersen.

Adding Konecny to the mix would be another way to throw down the gauntlet to their Western Conference rivals.

Pursuing Konecny would be a luxury for the Oilers. Given how close they are to the salary cap, acquiring him would require a creative and potentially disruptive trade.

Edmonton may have limited prospect capital to offer, while moving veterans from a roster that has performed well over the past few years could require more restructuring than GM Stan Bowman wants to undertake.

But imagine the Oilers matching up against Vegas, Anaheim or any of the beastly teams in the Central Division with Konecny driving their opponents nuts. Adding him could be the kind of move that finally brings the Cup back to Edmonton.

Carolina Hurricanes

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If there's a team that's meant to be watched if Konecny becomes available, it's the Carolina Hurricanes.

Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky has shown an eagerness to pursue top talent. With ample cap space, roster flexibility and prospects developing in their pipeline, the Hurricanes can throw their weight around in trade talks.

The biggest hurdle in this case is proximity. Carolina and Philly are both in the Metropolitan Division, and there's no doubt the Flyers would hate to face Konecny four times a year in the regular season and certainly not in the playoffs.

The Hurricanes could build an offer around unsigned defenseman Alexander Nikishin. With Philly looking for defensive help, he could be a logical starting point for negotiations.

Desperate times can make for unlikely trade partners, and the Flyers and Hurricanes doing business after meeting in the playoffs earlier this year would certainly qualify.

Utah Mammoth

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The Utah Mammoth are poised to be active in the trade market, and they've been bold with GM Bill Armstrong at the helm since moving to Salt Lake City.

Their speed and skill stand out, but adding a bit of sandpaper with Konecny could make them an even tougher opponent in the West.

Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther form one of the most entertaining groups in the league. Acquiring veteran leader Anders Lee added tenacity and addressed a need in Utah's lineup. Using their prospect depth to acquire a player like Konecny could elevate the Mammoth further.

Utah has prospects such as Tij Iginla, Caleb Desnoyers and 2026 first-round pick Ethan Belchetz, along with young NHL players such as Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev.

Philly might be reluctant to prolong its rebuild by acquiring even younger players, but adding high-end young talent could be appealing if it decides to make a bold move like trading Konecny.

Los Angeles Kings

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The Kings are in a bit of a funk to start the season, so making a bold move to add an agitator like Konecny would make sense.

His steady offensive production and ability to irritate opponents would play well in the Western Conference, particularly in the Pacific Division playoff race.

Should L.A. want to reinforce its attack on the wing, Konecny could be an appealing option given his long-term contract. As for what the Kings could offer, that would be up to GM Ken Holland to work out.

The Kings and Flyers have done business over the years, including major trades, giving a potential Konecny deal some historical context.