There is endless talk about who the Philadelphia Flyers might trade before Friday’s deadline and what they could potentially get back in a deal. Whether it’s Rasmus Ristolainen, Owen Tippett, or Bobby Brink — a whole lot of Flyers have been talked about leading up to the very important day on the hockey calendar.
But one name that has been under-discussed is veteran forward Nic Deslauriers. And according to a recent report, he is likely going to be traded by the Flyers before the deadline.
Flyers expected to trade Nic Deslauriers before trade deadline
On Wednesday, a whole lot of trade action happened around the league. We had bottom-six centers being snatched up by potential Stanley Cup contenders, impactful defensemen moving across the continent; and while the Flyers have not been involved quite yet, teams who do want to buy at this trade deadline are moving on to their second or third options.
One of those options could turn out to be Deslauriers, according to NHL Network’s Brian Lawton.
In speaking with a number of different clubs this morning it is clear the plan b’s and c’s are moving closer to fruition. Lesser discussed players expected to move @Canucks Evander Kane and @NHLFlyers Nicolas Deslauriers. Buyers need cap relief as cap space is so tight to pull…
— Brian Lawton (@brianlawton9) March 5, 2026
This is not completely unexpected. Deslauriers did make a brief appearance on Nick Kypreos’ trade board over at Sportsnet this week, and while that was pretty surprising to see his name there, it makes some sense that some teams are kicking the tires on getting a dude that can punch someone’s lights out for the rest of the season.
Deslauriers is in his final year of that four-year, $7-million contract that Chuck Fletcher handed to him all the way back in the summer of 2022, and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. And at 35 years old, as part of a dying breed of pure enforcers in the NHL, this could be his last ride before hanging up his skates and maybe taking a comfy broadcasting or analyst job up in his home province of Quebec.
And just like how Flyers general manager Danny Briere was able to trade defenseman Eric Johnson at last year’s trade deadline, back home to his Colorado Avalanche (where he, not surprisingly, does some broadcast work for them after retiring from pro hockey), this would be something similar.
It would be impossible to expect any sort of strong return in a trade for Deslauriers. If he is getting traded to somewhere like the Boston Bruins or back home to the Montreal Canadiens, it would be sending some AHL veteran the Flyers’ way, or even just pure future considerations — letting the fighter from LaSalle, Que. ride out his final days in the league not suffering in Philadelphia.
Deslauriers has been an incredibly good soldier for the Flyers through his four seasons here. While fans might not have loved seeing him in the lineup over some younger, more skilled forwards, no one can deny that he didn’t at least bring us joy whenever he would drop the gloves or when you would see him palling around with his teammates off the ice.
Now, here’s hoping that trading Deslauriers isn’t the only move the Flyers make before Friday’s deadline.
