If it's that certain, they might as well wait a year and get him for nothing but cash.
The Flyers would still need to decide they 100% want him, and they would both have to agree to terms.
2022 is an insane UFA year (including their own Couturier and Giroux), and PHI can be in on whoever they want (that makes it to UFA, which certainly won't be all of even most of the following):
Barkov
Zibanejad
F Forsberg
Hertl
Gaudreau
Malkin
Bergeron
(even decent options a step or two down; non comprehensive):
Kadri
Kessel
R Strome
Burakovsky
Trocheck
Domi
Seth Jones
Pulock
Ekholm
Nurse
Letang
Rielly
Klingberg
Parayko
H Lindholm
Ristolainen
Subban
If I'm PHI, I'm waiting for the ED to play out and keeping maximum flexibility. I'd only move those assets out to guarantee I get Seth Jones (or maybe Pulock/Parayko) - solving the biggest need.
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