Here’s the bottom line when it comes to the Philadelphia Flyers roster: It’s highly likely the team that lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs is not all that different than the group that comprises the 2026-27 Flyers on opening night.There are a few reasons for that.There are many young players still in the growth stages of their careers that the Flyers have no interest in moving. The free-agent market is nothing to get excited about, so adding that way could be difficult or not worth it. Trades are always possible, but it’s just as possible that the Flyers aren’t intrigued by any of the players that might become available.Keep all that in mind as we go through our annual rundown, examining who will be back and who might not be.Locks to returnSean Couturier: The 33-year-old not only reestablished himself late in the season and in the playoffs as a versatile two-way center, but maybe even as the captain, too, considering how he led the team in some of its most important games. For the first time in a few years, that should be the focus as to why he’ll be back, rather than a contract that runs for four more years.Christian Dvorak: His five-year extension kicks in July 1, and it includes a full no-move clause for the first two seasons. There’s probably some sort of handshake agreement that he won’t get dealt before that; regardless, he’s coming off of a career year, and the Flyers need him down the middle.Travis Konecny: Konecny led the Flyers in scoring again during the regular season, even if there are some concerns that he tends to wear down throughout the course of the year. Still, he has a full no-move clause for the next five seasons. He doesn’t want to go anywhere, and the Flyers have no interest in dealing him anyway.Porter Martone: The 19-year-old is a good candidate to become the Flyers’ first Calder Trophy winner as the league’s top rookie next season.Travis Sanheim: The defenseman played probably the best hockey of his career after the Olympic break. He’s a vital piece on and off the ice.Dan Vladar: The biggest question mark about Vladar is whether the Flyers will sign him to a long-term contract extension this summer, as he gets set to enter the second year of his two-year deal.Trevor Zegras: General manager Daniel Briere said last week he’s not worried about extending any of the Flyers’ restricted free agents, a list that includes Zegras. This will get done at some point.Only gone in a blockbusterDenver Barkey: The biggest pleasant surprise of the season, Barkey’s spot on the opening night roster next season is already virtually assured. Off the ice, Barkey exudes a kind of maturity well beyond his 21 years. Plus, he may even be able to play center.Alex Bump: Like Barkey, Bump exceeded expectations when he was recalled from the Phantoms. He’s a player on the rise who still oozes potential.Noah Cates: The only way Cates would get moved is if it were for a true top-line center. He’s just too valuable and versatile, and he’s becoming more of a team leader and role model for younger players.Jamie Drysdale: While Drysdale might not ever become a top-unit power-play guy, his defensive play and playmaking reached a new level this season. He’s a legitimate second-pair NHL defenseman.Tyson Foerster: Foerster was well on his way to scoring 30 to 40 goals before an injury on Dec. 1 cost him four months. The two-way winger remains a core piece.Matvei Michkov: Briere and coach Rick Tocchet did an admirable job calming down the Michkov speculation last week, with Tocchet even suggesting that next season could be a “vengeance tour” for the 21-year-old. It’s unlikely the Flyers are going to try to move Michkov, particularly as they’d be selling low on a player that still has tremendous potential. That said, if there’s a top-line center or elite offensive defenseman on the market this summer, Michkov is still a player that an opposing general manager could market to their fanbase as the centerpiece of the return. He may not be untouchable anymore, particularly after the emergence of Martone and the development of some other wingers, but it’s still much, much more likely he’ll remain.Owen Tippett: Let’s say it one more time: the Flyers were never shopping Tippett — not early in the season, and not before the trade deadline. Once the silly trade rumors subsided after that, Tippett became an absolute beast over the final six weeks before a sports hernia and internal bleeding cut his playoff run short. There’s always a chance that he goes in exchange for a top-line center, but all indications are that he’s established himself enough as a core piece. The absence of his speed in the Hurricanes series was glaring.Cam York: While his offense dried up late in the year, that was probably more a function of playing with Drysdale, who simply had the puck more often than his partner. But York was still part of the second defense pair on a Flyers team that was among the best in the league at limiting opposing scoring chances.Could be pushed outEmil Andrae: The 24-year-old still has potential, but there just doesn’t seem to be room for him anymore, particularly if the Flyers prefer more size on their third pair. Perhaps Andrae gets moved for another team’s young player who might similarly benefit from a change of scenery.Nikita Grebenkin: The young winger’s mysterious injury complicates things, but Grebenkin just didn’t do enough with his minutes before coming out of the lineup in March. He’ll probably remain with the organization — especially if he’s still unavailable in September, as Briere suggested was possible — but it’s going to be much tougher for him to stay on the NHL roster after the arrivals of Bump, Barkey and Martone.Nick Seeler: It’s doubtful that Seeler gets moved this summer, but it’s still worth noting that his full no-trade clause expires on July 1. At some point, Seeler is going to have to fend off younger competition to stay in the top six, but that still feels a year away.Garnet Hathaway: A candidate for a buy-out before the Olympic break, Hathaway may have saved his roster spot with how he played late in the season and into the playoffs. His line with Couturier and Luke Glendening was often the Flyers’ most effective. He’s signed through next season.Rasmus Ristolainen: After the way he played after the Olympics and in the first playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ristolainen’s value might be at an all-time high. He also mentioned last week that he’s fully healthy and will get to train as normal this summer for the first time in several years. If the Flyers find a way to add a right-shot defenseman that can quarterback a power play in the offseason, moving Ristolainen to make room might be necessary.Toss-upsRodrigo Abols: An unrestricted free agent, Abols’ return seems unlikely, but perhaps he’s fine with being an in-between AHL player that can fill in from time to time. Everyone in the organization likes the guy.Sam Ersson: The Flyers had probably written Ersson off at the Olympic break, but then he went 6-1-0 with a .912 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average afterwards. Briere indicated last week that they “have to evaluate” what comes next for the goalie, and “we’ll see where it leads.” What helps Ersson’s cause — if he’s willing to come back on a reasonable, one-year extension — is that neither Aleksei Kolosov nor Carson Bjarnason looks NHL-ready yet.Luke Glendening: The Flyers are so young up front, and Glendening played so surprisingly well after the Flyers claimed him off of waivers in March that a cheap one-year extension for the well-liked, respected veteran could make sense. Why not?Probably on their way outCarl Grundström: Credit Briere for actually getting a useful player in the Ryan Ellis salary dump, but Grundström, who only played in three of the Flyers’ 10 playoff games, seems likely to move on.Noah Juulsen: The veteran filled his role fairly admirably, but there are too many other young defensemen like Oliver Bonk, Hunter McDonald, Ty Murchison and David Jiricek now pushing for roster spots.