How do we fill that quiet time for the Philadelphia Flyers between the end of the season and the NHL draft later this month? With a long overdue mailbag, naturally.Let’s get right to it. (Some questions have been lightly edited for style and clarity.)Given how feeble (free agency) will be, and how rare it is to trade for the top-of-the-lineup producers we need at center and defense, how likely would you consider the Flyers will trade up in the draft? It’s a rare year where two top-five teams (San Jose, Chicago) are openly listening to trade offers, and several other lottery teams (Seattle, Florida, New Jersey) feel like they want short-term improvements. — Greg K.I would be surprised if the Flyers were willing to part with the kinds of assets that would be necessary to trade up into the top 10, let alone the top five. That’s just not where they are in their team-building process.Their aim this summer, as best I can tell, is to keep adding to what they believe is a solid young core in order to try and take another step next season. Those five teams you mentioned would likely be looking for at least one or two NHL-ready younger players in any kind of trade scenario, and I just don’t see the Flyers moving any of those guys right now unless it’s for an established, All-Star level player — preferably a center — who could help them now.Moving Owen Tippett or Cam York and the No. 21 pick in this year’s draft to Florida for the No. 9 pick, just as a hypothetical, isn’t something they’d be interested in.Keep in mind, too, that the Flyers believe that the first-round pick they own from Toronto from the Scott Laughton deal is unprotected in 2027. (They’re still awaiting clarification from the league on that, which they don’t expect until closer to the start of next season at the earliest, I was told by a team source.) That pick could very well end up in the top five.Given his age (26), his contract being one of the best values in hockey (five more years at $8.125 million AAV), and the fact his skill set is seemingly perfect for a team with wingers waiting to be unlocked by a playmaking center, what are the chances a) the Flyers make a major push to acquire Robert Thomas, and b) the chances there is ever a more optimal, realistic opportunity to acquire a long-term fixture at 1C than Thomas presents? — Dan M.I wouldn’t completely write it off. The Flyers did check in on Thomas before the trade deadline, as I reported at the time, but the Blues’ ask was “completely unreasonable,” per a team source. The price at the time was believed to be three “first half of the first round” assets, and there’s not any reason to believe that has come down.Thomas is a good player, with 64 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 64 games this season, but is he really worth that sort of a return? I don’t believe the Flyers think he is, based on what I was told in January, so I would be surprised if it’s something they heavily pursue. My colleague Jeremy Rutherford believes Thomas is more likely to remain in St. Louis, too.As for the second part of your question, it’s quite difficult to predict when a star-level player might become available. But things change quickly in this league, with the Quinn Hughes trade last December the most recent example of that, and with Auston Matthews no lock to still be in Toronto in September.Thomas and Matthews are unlikely available this summer. I presume Elias Pettersson is available. Would Rick Tocchet be comfortable with Pettersson? Based on past interviews and blogs, I am not sure what Tocchet really felt about him. — Mitch P.I’ll point you back to what I reported about Pettersson last January — the Flyers as an organization aren’t interested in him. Whether that’s primarily because of Tocchet, I don’t know, but they just don’t view him as a player who they can ultimately win with. Combined with his hefty salary and his recent regression for two seasons now … not happening.What are the chances the Flyers make an offer sheet for Adam Fantilli or Leo Carlsson? — Mick B.I wouldn’t completely rule it out, because we all know the Flyers’ biggest hole is at top-line center. If either of those players has not inked an extension on July 1, it’s probably at least worth a phone call to their respective agents.