Not only that, but they know next year is full of centers and Fla won without a for sure 1D. You can win with a few 2D and a 1C. I think this D with Buium and Bonk is good enough to win it imo if they have the high end talent up front.
Not so sure about FLA's D. They had three guys over 22 mpg in the playoffs. Ekblad (1OA) and Forsling (waiver wire) did yeoman service shutting down McDavid better than anyone else could.
Florida's key was having three amazing pairs, with Montour and big Mikkola and Kulikov and Ekman-Larsson as the 3rd pair getting actual icetime.
That said, Buium gets us closer than Sanheim, York and Drysdale.
I look at the Flyers' roster during the SCF and say "how many of our players could crack the starting lineup of the Panthers or the Oilers?"
Sanheim could make the Oilers, maybe York. The Panthers? Yes, over Kulikov.
Konecny could make either team. A healthy Couts? For sure. Farabee? Tippett?
When you look at your own team compared to good teams, it's much clearer how very far the Flyers have to go.