Is Owen Tippett’s Time as a Philadelphia Flyer Nearing an End?

0 Diana khan November 08, 2025

As someone who has watched the ebbs and flows of player careers for decades, the situation brewing with Owen Tippett and the Philadelphia Flyers is classic “boom-or-bust” theater. We’ve seen this script before: a player with immense talent, a tantalizing skill set, and a maddening inability to put it all together consistently.

Tippett is the definition of a streaky scorer. He exploded out of the gate, potting five goals in his first six games, looking every bit the top-line power winger the Flyers envisioned. Since then? Crickets. A single assist and a frustrating string of goalless games have turned the 26-year-old into a polarizing figure within the fanbase and, more importantly, within the organization.

Internal Questions and External Interest

When a player’s performance drops off a cliff, the trade vultures start circling. I’m hearing from sources that there are legitimate internal questions about where Tippett fits into the Flyers’ long-term plans. That kind of internal doubt rarely stays quiet for long.

It’s no coincidence that his name has been floated in trade rumors. When a guy like Marc Bergevin from the Los Angeles Kings‘ front office is spotted at Flyers games, you can bet your bottom dollar he’s not just there for the cheesesteaks. The Kings are a contender that could use a scoring boost, and Tippett, despite his cold streak, is exactly the kind of high-risk, high-reward player a team might gamble on.

To Trade or To Teach? The Tocchet Factor

Right now, Tippett is a square peg in a round hole. He’s a potential trade chip, a piece you move to acquire that star player the Flyers desperately need. If a significant deal comes along, I have no doubt GM Daniel Briere would consider moving him.

However, let’s pump the brakes slightly. We’re still early in the season. Coach Rick Tocchet has publicly backed Tippett, stressing patience and a desire to help him develop the 200-foot game required of a top-tier NHL forward. Tocchet is an optimist, but he’s also a pragmatist. He knows that patience has a deadline—and that deadline is often March 6th.

The Flyers aren’t actively shopping him today, but they’re certainly listening. They want to help him, but they also have a responsibility to improve the team. My gut tells me this is a “wait-and-see” situation that hinges entirely on Tippett’s ability to find his game before the trade deadline. If he can’t regain his scoring touch and prove his value, his days in Philadelphia are indeed numbered.