NHL Rumors: Flyers Interested In Panthers Forward

According to Jeff Marek, the Philadelphia Flyers are interested in Florida Panthers forward Owen Tippett.

Marek noted that Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher and other front-office members attended the Lehigh Valley Phantoms contest against the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday. Tippett is currently playing with Charlotte, so it's clear that a major reason why they were watching it was because of him.

The Panthers have been linked to Flyers captain Claude Giroux, so it seems that the latter would expect Tippett as the main piece in a potential swap. This is entirely understandable, as the 23-year-old is a former first-round pick and is viewed as having top-six potential.

In 42 games with the Panthers this season, Tippett has six goals to go along with eight assists. During his eight contests with the Checkers, he has been a real force, as he has two goals and eight helpers. He has shown signs that he is ready to be a legitimate NHLer, but with the Panthers having so much depth and looking to win now, he may be expendable to them.

Nevertheless, this is something to keep an eye on as we get closer to the deadline.