What will the Philadelphia Flyers do at the NHL Trade Deadline?

If you had told Philadelphia Flyers fans before the season that they would be sitting in third place a few weeks before the NHL trade deadline, they most likely would've said you were crazy.

This season was supposed to be another retooling year for them, and the fact that they are top three in the division is impressive.

When thinking about Philadelphia's approach at this trade deadline, there are two questions they have to answer:

1. Do they see themselves as legitimate cup contenders if they decide to add?

Looking at the current team, it's hard to find what they could add that could make them legitimate Stanley Cup Contenders.

That isn't because they're bad because they aren't. Since the team is outperforming expectations this year, it might be wise to stand pat or sell off players on expiring deals.

The Flyers are an up-and-coming team, so it wouldn't make sense for them to make a big splash or sell off a big piece. Staying pat and seeing how the season plays out seems to be the best option.

2. Who do they want to build around if they decide to sell some players?

If the Flyers fall out of a playoff spot before March 8th, they need to decide what players they want to build around and who they want to let go.

For GM Daniel Briere, he should be looking at Sean Couturier, Owen Tippett, Jamie Drysdale, and Travis Sanheim as players to build the franchise around.

Owen Tippett isn't going anywhere though as he signed an eight-year extension in January. The Flyers have a good mix of young players and veterans who are contributing.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a lot of players they could move if they go that route

Scott Laughton is the player on the Flyers who has been involved in the most trade rumors so far. Laughton carries a very attractive 3M cap hit with one more season on it after this one so he could be a hot commodity.

Athletic insiders Arthur Staple and Kevin Kurz wrote in an article that Laughton could fetch a first-round pick in return, and they also mentioned that the New York Rangers are an interested team.

If a team would offer the Flyers something as high as a first-round pick for Laughton, they would be foolish to not at least give it a thought.

Sean Walker is another player that has emerged in Flyers trade rumors. He has 5 goals, 15 assists, and 20 points in 56 games this year.

Walker has played nearly 20 minutes a game this season and would be a great addition to any blue line in the league. It's currently unclear what Walker would fetch in return in a trade but it's safe to assume it would be something of value.

Whatever Philadelphia decides to do will be aligned with happiness of the progress the team has made this season. The future is bright in Philadelphia.