Would the 2015-16 Philadelphia Flyers be a playoff squad with a player like P.K. Subban on the roster? We'll never know for sure, but it seems that at one point prior to Subban signing his mammoth 8-year, $72 million contract extension with the Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers were among a handful of teams pushing hard for a trade to acquire the budding blueliner from the Habs. And while nothing ultimately came of it, of course - though a recent report suggests that a trade may be back on the table - it's interesting to look back and wonder what could have been.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman appeared on Calgary's Sportsnet 960 on Friday and, addressing an earlier report from Louis Jean of TVA Sports indicating that the Canadiens were "gauging the market" on a potential Subban trade, revealed that the Canadiens had actually considered a deal involving the talented defenseman in the period before he signed his extension. The team that put the best offer on the table? None other than the Philadelphia Flyers.
"I think the Canadiens thought about it. I've always believed the team was Philadelphia that had the biggest offer. I don't know what that offer was," said Friedman, per Today's Slap Shot's transcription. "But at the end of the day, the Montreal Canadiens thought having P.K. Subban was better than whatever Philadelphia's offer was. But I heard Philly's was the best."
Subban and the Canadiens came to terms on that long-term pact in August 2014, just one day after an arbitration hearing left Canadiens fans in a panic regarding Subban's future. Subban had earned $3.75 million the season prior in the final year of a two-year bridge deal and there was concern over his asking price and what it would do to the team's cap situation going forward.
At this point, the Flyers were just three months into Ron Hextall's tenure as GM. During his time at the helm of the franchise, Hextall has proven both savvy and willing to make big deals. But something the likes of acquiring Subban only a few short months after taking over the top spot would have been astounding.
The Flyers were coming off a year in which they reached the Conference Quarterfinals, losing to the New York Rangers. The team though, constructed by Paul Holmgren, did not boast a Stanley Cup talent level and had too many big contracts and older players.
Without knowing what the Flyers were willing to give up for Subban, it's impossible to know what really could have been.
Maybe Subban would have been the missing piece for a Flyers team that seemed perpetually stuck in win-now mode. Maybe the cap ills that have plagued Philadelphia in recent years would have only been worsened and Subban would just be another talented player on an otherwise disappointing roster. But considering Subban's skill and the likely asking price, it's probably safe to say that if Subban had found himself in a black and orange jersey prospects like Travis Sanheim, Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny and plenty more almost certainly wouldn't be part of the Flyers system.
