

It can’t be disputed that Brayden Point is having a monster of a season. He has 30G and 65P through 49 games played and has shown no signs of slowing down. Lightning GM Julien BriseBois has to consider how the Tampa can fit him into the cap for the 2019-2020 season. In a recent press conference, BriseBois stated that he would do everything in his power to keep Point. However, competing General Managers in the league may have other plans. And, Chuck Fletcher, the newly appointed GM of the Philadelphia Flyers, might have particular interest in Point.

Let’s look back on the 2014 draft. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Anthony DeAngelo with their 1st round pick. But, the real blockbuster came in the 3rd round. The Bolts miraculously traded up one spot to the 79th overall pick to select Brayden Point. Yzerman sent the 80th overall pick and 7th round pick in 2015 to the Minnesota Wild. The Wild had shown interest in Point, but still gave up the 79th pick to the Lightning for the additional 7th rounder. The GM of the Wild at the time? Chuck Fletcher.

Clearly, this trade paid massive dividends for the Tampa Bay Lightning with Point putting up 80G and 171P over 199GP with the Bolts and an all-star nod to go along with those numbers. Point has the 6th most points of all players from 2014 draft, with significantly less GP. He’s beginning to look like one of the premier defensive forwards in the league. If Chuck Fletcher could go back to 2014, he likely holds onto that 79th pick to select Point.

So, why might Fletcher attempt an offer sheet? For starters, the Flyers are having a mess of a season and it’s clear that they’ll be active at the trade deadline and over the summer. However, they already have a solid core of Giroux, Couturier, Voracek, Provorov, and Gostisbehere. Acquiring a solid, consistent goaltender will work wonders for this team. They’ve had a surplus of first round picks in the past few years, and their prospect pipeline isn’t hurting. According to @MikeGallimore’s offer sheet speculation spreadsheet, the Flyers are also one of a few teams with the cap space, and the picks to be able to pay Point if he’s offered tier I deal.

Offer sheets are a touchy subject in the league, and there’s no certainty that any will handed out this summer. If one is offered this summer, it will be the first since the Flames offered Ryan O’Reilly in 2013. But, according to Gord Miller at TSN, offer sheets have been a hot button topic with GMs this season and at least one GM has already been given the green light from ownership to hand one out. If 2019 does become the summer of the offer sheet, be on the lookout for Chuck Fletcher to absolve himself of any regrets he may have from the 2014 draft.