Are the Flyers trying to recruit Forsberg?

Reports out of Philadelphia indicate that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren played a round of golf with unrestricted free agent forward Peter Forsberg at South Jersey’s exclusive Pine Valley Golf Club on Monday.

This has sparked some to suggest that the Flyers are trying to recruit Forsberg back to the City of Brotherly Love once he decides he’s healthy to play in the NHL again.

However, Holmgren tells Ed Barkowitz of the Philadelphia Daily News that there were no ulterior motives behind their round of golf other than playing the game.

“It really was no big deal,” said Holmgren, who also confirmed that Forsberg outplayed him on the links.

Holmgren told Tim Panaccio of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he was not trying to convince Forsberg to come back to his former team.

“Not really,” Holmgren said. “[Forsberg] still doesn’t know what he wants to do this season because he is still not healthy.”

Should the Flyers decide to make a play for Forsberg, they would have to clear room under their salary cap space as they only have $900,000 to spend.

But the Flyers won’t have to worry about that for a while. Forsberg isn’t expected to begin contract negotiations until closer to mid-season.