11:53 a.m.: TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports the Flyers have finalized the contract with Tippett at the reported eight-year term and $49.6MM value. It’s unclear what trade protection, if any, the deal will include.
9:19 a.m.: The Flyers and winger Owen Tippett are “closing in” on a long-term deal, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said Friday. Friedman added it will be an eight-year deal carrying an AAV between $6MM and $6.5MM. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports the total value of the deal will be $49.6MM, or a $6.2MM AAV.
Tippett came to Philadelphia in March 2022 as the focal piece from the Panthers in the Claude Giroux trade. The 2017 10th overall pick had struggled to get out of the gate after nearly five years in the Florida organization, posting 14 goals and 33 points in 94 games while averaging around 12 minutes per game.
The now-24-year-old was drafted for his speed and shooting ability, as evidenced by his 44 goals in 60 games with the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads as a 17-year-old. It took a move to the Flyers to make it happen, but those hallmarks of his game have blossomed at the right time.
His first full season in Philadelphia was a success, exploding for 27 goals and 49 points in 77 games on a Flyers offense that finished near the bottom of the league in 2022-23. Through 46 games this year, he’s notched 18 goals and 30 points in 46 games – a 32-goal, 53-point pace over 82 games.
That kind of production, if sustained, will make this contract one of the better value bets in the league at its midpoint. Tippett’s deal will take up 7.1% of the salary cap when it goes into effect, a similar share of the cap to Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich and Flames winger Andrew Mangiapane when they signed mid-term deals with $5.8MM cap hits in 2021 and 2022. Both were similar in age to Tippett when signing their deals.
Mangiapane’s production has stuttered in the years following, while Buchnevich is the Blues’ premier offensive talent and posted over a point per game in the last two seasons. Tippett likely ends up somewhere in the middle. If the consistency in his play between this year and last is any indication, he’s on track to churn out totals in the 30-goal, 55-point neighborhood over the life of the contract.
By signing him to a max-term extension now, the Flyers lock Tippett up at a controlled price throughout his most valuable seasons. He’ll be 32 when the deal ends – young enough so that Tippett could sign a lucrative mid-term deal, but old enough that the Flyers would feel comfortable walking away if the demand is too high. The likelihood of Tippett’s production regressing is also much lower than if Philadelphia waited another two or three years to give him a long-term extension.
It’s unlikely Tippett advances much past what he is now – an extremely high-end secondary scoring threat. With the salary cap increasing at its projected rate, though, $6.2MM per season works out quite well for that kind of production, especially for a player who’s consistently shouldered top-six minutes since coming to the Flyers. He’s posted strong possession numbers, too, boasting a 50.1% Corsi share (2.4% higher than the team’s share without him on the ice) at even strength since the trade to Philly.
Tippett was destined for RFA status this summer with arbitration rights after completing a two-year, $3MM contract. He will be eligible for unrestricted free agency for the first time when his new contract expires in 2032.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Red Red Fine
If he plays with a superstar that deal will be a great deal for the flyers..
That deal is going to age so well. The Jones/Briere front office has made me more excited and hopeful as a Flyers fan than I’ve been in a decade.
I’ve heard he’s a bit a goofball. A beauty as Don would say… Congrats to him.
I love this. Jonesy, Danny. Well done lads.
6.2 seems like a stretch to me. Glad it’s not my money or the team I route for.
It’s a heck of a lot less of a stretch than eight years.
6.2 now isn’t going to be the same as 2-3 years from now. The cap is going to have a jump after being frozen for so many seasons.
Owen Tippett has been in and out of the NHL since 2017 and thus far has managed to put together a solid season and a half and based on those facts and Briere’s lack of experience as an executive this won’t be a good investment.
Mr. Magoo
Lol he was 18 in 2017.
He’s going to be a consistent, NHL producer he’s got size, speed, strength and he has worked really hard on his shot. It was just a matter of time and opportunity until he turned into a 25 goal, north south player.
Disagree…kids been a highly touted prospect for years he is finally producing with not a bunch around him if he plays with Michkov boom 80 pointer easily. Great flyers signing.
Briere should know, Danny and Martin St. Louis took until they were 24-25 to find their groove in the NHL. Glad they didn’t stay buried in the AHL.
Even if he’s a second line guy it will be good for the team.
Tippett is a second line guy with the Flyers, In reality he’s a solid 3rd liner.
You are a troll and a hater on every single post none of your opinions matter
Flyers did well in that trade. They also received panthers 1st rd pick this yr. More often than not deadline deals for players on an expiring contract (even for a player as good as Giroux) don’t get that kind of return.
Six years at 4 to 4.5 would have been fair for both sides!
[rolls eyes]
Yep, 18 in 2017 and played 7 games for the Florida Panthers to begin his NHL career.
Yes, I watched him in Panthers and now he’s signed to a similar contract like Reinhart…. LOL!!
Except Reinhart’s was a 3 year deal coming out of UFA. Tippett is 8 years from RFAA status. That’s supposed to keep the money a little more down. As is 8 year terms.
For comparisons sake Tippett will be making 700k more than Zach Hyman. Do you think he’s 700k better than Hyman?