The Philadelphia Flyers have an opportunity to acquire a former first-round draft pick with high-end speed and playmaking abilities for free through the NHL waiver wire. With thin depth at the center position, the team could benefit from adding a low-risk reclamation project.
Roster Needs and Prospect Status
The Flyers have experienced ongoing depth issues at center for the 2026-27 season, particularly after shifting Trevor Zegras to the left wing position. While that lineup change has yielded positive results for head coach Rick Tocchet, the team has shuffled several players down the middle in recent weeks, including Christian Dvorak, Noah Cates, Sean Couturier, Noel Acciari, Denver Barkey, and Jacob Gaucher.
Down in the AHL, top center prospect Jett Luchanko is currently being given the necessary time to develop into a quality NHL player, keeping him out of the immediate NHL picture. This opens the door for potential external additions via waivers, such as Brad Lambert.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Winnipeg Jets placed forward prospect Brad Lambert on waivers, making the 22-year-old available to the Flyers and 30 other NHL teams without giving up any assets. Selected 30th overall in the first round of the 2022 draft, Lambert possesses elite skating and playmaking skills.
However, production at the NHL level has been slow to develop, yielding just nine points in 43 career NHL games across four seasons. His AHL numbers show 36 goals, 70 assists, and 106 points in 173 games, though his output has declined over recent seasons—dropping from 55 points in 2023-24 to 35 points in 2024-25, and 13 points in 34 games during the 2025-26 campaign.
After recording just one assist in 11 NHL games with Winnipeg this season, Lambert is viewed as a player in need of a change of scenery. Because he is available for free, sports.yahoo.com notes he represents an obvious fit for the Flyers as a potential right-shot center.
Waiver Wire Priority and Contract Details
Following the passage of November 1, the waiver wire priority order is determined by the current season standings rather than last year’s records. This places the Flyers near the top of the order, trailing only the Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, and Vancouver Canucks, while the Jets cannot reclaim their own player.
The roster logistics support a potential move, as assigning Alex Bump to the AHL left the Flyers with one available roster spot. Contract limits are also not an obstacle since the team sits at 47 out of 50 active contracts.
Lambert has one year remaining on his entry-level contract, making him an affordable, low-risk acquisition who remains under team control as a pending restricted free agent. If the experiment fails, the team can simply place him back on waivers.
With four wins in 16 games this season, the struggling Flyers find themselves in an ideal position to take a chance on young talent, making Lambert a strong match if deployed down the middle. If management views him strictly as a winger, internal options like Bump and Gaucher hold more familiarity.
