The Schenn brothers are having very different starts to the season in Philadelphia.
Brayden, the subject of trade rumors throughout the preseason, has started strongly with three points in four games.
Luke, also the subject of trade rumors, hasn’t fared as well. He’s been a healthy scratch for the last two games, and will be one again tonight when the Flyers host the Stars at Wells Fargo.
And now, it sounds like big bro’s situation is upsetting little bro.
“It’s brutal,” Brayden told NJ Advance Media. “It’s no fun for me going to the rink and it’s no fun for him. When you play on the same team as your brother, you want to be in the lineup with him each night.”
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Luke, who has struggled throughout his tenure in Philly, is in the press box. He’s one of eight Flyers d-men on one-way NHL contracts, and that crowded situation has made for some serious competition for minutes on the blueline.
What’s more, Luke’s also in the last year of his contract. That’s led to speculation that he might be traded or, if Flyers GM Ron Hextall is unable to move him, walking at the end of the season.
An extension seems unlikely.
As such, this will be a dynamic to watch moving forward. Brayden is also on the verge of free agency -- he’s a pending RFA -- but is a far more enticing asset. Hextall had previously shot down the idea of extending Brayden, but that could change with an impressive showing.
Of course, the question remains: Given how things have gone, would a clean break be the best thing for both the Schenns and Flyers?