Flush with cap space and operating under a mandate to rapidly improve their roster, the Philadelphia Flyers appeared poised to pounce on July 1 — the official start of unrestricted free agency — and make a few eye-catching moves.



Less than three weeks into June, though, it’s fair to wonder if they’ll be able to make any moves at all when the time comes.



On Tuesday, general manager Chuck Fletcher followed up his acquisition of defenseman Matt Niskanen, rights-trade for center Kevin Hayes, and buyout of Andrew MacDonald by swapping a 2019 second-round pick and a 2020 third-round pick for Sharks defenseman Justin Braun. A 32-year-old right-handed shot, Braun has been in the league since 2010-11, spending his entire career with the Sharks, and largely functioning as a second-pair blueliner.



Then, with the clock ticking toward midnight, Fletcher put the finishing touches on the Hayes deal, locking up the 27-year-old pivot to a seven-year,...