Salary Cap Deep Dive: Philadelphia Flyers
Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2017-18 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
Philadelphia Flyers
Current Cap Hit: $69,859,167 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Travis Konecny (Two years remaining, $894K)
F Nolan Patrick (Three years remaining, $925K)
D Samuel Morin (One year remaining, $863K)
D Ivan Provorov (Two years remaining, $894K)
Potential Bonuses
Konecny: $213K
Morin: $500K
Patrick: $2.65MM
Provorov: $850K
Total: $4.213MM
Konecny got off to a hot start last season but tailed off down the stretch. However, with a full NHL season under his belt, he should be in line for a solid sophomore year and will likely play in their top six. As for Patrick, the second overall selection is expected to lock down a regular roster spot although GM Ron Hextall has said they won’t force him into NHL action if he’s not ready. With their depth down the middle, the Flyers will be able to ease Patrick into the lineup which is something that isn’t typically afforded to top picks just coming out of the draft.
Provorov was put into a key role right away and he passed the test with flying colors. It’s quite rare that a rookie defender leads the team in average ice time but that happened last season with the 20-year-old, who also finished second on the team in points from the back end. Philadelphia will need to enjoy his cheap deal while they can as he already is on track for a massive raise on his second contract.
It’s expected that quite a few youngsters will get a chance on the back end. Morin is among those after getting a pair of full AHL seasons under his belt. Others like Robert Hagg (one year remaining) and Travis Sanheim (two years remaining) are also expected to get a long look at training camp.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
F Valtteri Filppula ($5MM, UFA)
D Brandon Manning ($975K, UFA)
F Matt Read ($3.625MM, UFA)
Filppula was acquired from the Lightning back at the trade deadline with Tampa looking to unload some salary for this season. While he’s not likely to push for more than 50 points like he did earlier in his career, he still slots in as a capable second liner. If he makes it to the open market, his next deal should come in relatively close to this one. Read’s contract looked reasonable when it was signed as a winger on the rise but he has tailed off in recent years. He’s not likely to be back after this season and his next contract will be for considerably less.
Manning has taken on more of a regular role over the last couple of seasons. He’ll likely reprise a depth role but if the youngsters struggle early on, he could be asked to take on more of the load at times.
Flyers Willing To Send Patrick Back To Junior
- In what may be just a bit of bluster from the GM in order to motivate a young player, Ron Hextall of the Flyers told Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer that Nolan Patrick will have to earn his way onto the team and that he’s perfectly fine with sending him back to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL. It’s unlikely that Patrick doesn’t crack the squad, but Hextall was clear that they will do whatever they think is right for the long-term development of their prized center. Patrick’s game is arguably more ready for the NHL than fellow top prospect Nico Hischier, and he should be in the opening lineup for the Flyers in game one.
Leland Irving Returns To AHL, Signs With Lehigh Valley
Former top goaltending prospect Leland Irving will play in North America once again this season, signing an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 29-year old Irving spent last season playing in Finland, where he recorded a .923 save percentage. He’ll have to battle with Phantoms’ incumbents Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz (when healthy) for playing time, but definitely brings some experience to the role.
Irving was selected 26th-overall in the 2006 draft and was seen as one of the next big goaltending prospects. The team that selected him, Calgary, would watch him struggle to find consistency at the professional level and despite giving him a shot in the NHL eventually have to move on. Part of the reason he never got much of a shot in the NHL was Miikka Kiprusoff‘s existence as one of the best in the league, but he would eventually head to Europe to get a chance to play full-time.
Two years ago he returned to play for the Iowa Wild and put up a solid season, and should do the same to help the Phantoms follow up on their 48-23-5 season from a year ago. Even at 29, he’ll add to what is some of the best minor league goaltending depth in the league.
Vancouver Canucks Sign Ryan White To PTO
A busy day for PTO’s continues, as the Vancouver Canucks have joined the fray. The team announced this afternoon that they have come to terms on a professional tryout agreement with veteran forward Ryan White. There has been little discussion of the 29-year-old this off-season, but it appears as if he’ll at least be given a chance to continue his NHL career in Vancouver.
White quietly tied his career high in scoring in 2016-17, recording 16 points between the Arizona Coyotes and Minnesota Wild. He notched a career-best seven assists over the campaign, with all but one coming in his first 46 games with the Coyotes. Somewhat of a “throw in” as part of the Martin Hanzal trade, White only added three points in 19 games with the Wild and was shutout in three postseason contests. However, he did manage to match his -8 rating in Arizona in 27 less games in Minnesota. For a player that has built his career off of physical, two-way play, a career-worst -16 rating was a disappointing total. Consider a drop-off in hits, blocked shots, and face-off success from his time with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16 and it makes more sense that there has been a lack of interest in a once-prominent checking forward, despite better offensive production.
Luckily for White, the Canucks have shown a willingness to bring in veteran players, in contrast to the opinion of many that they should be focused on re-building. Although Vancouver welcomes back Derek Dorsett for the 2017-18 season, it would not be a surprise to see White turn his PTO into an affordable contract as a depth option for the Canucks. Alternatives such as Jayson Megna and Michael Chaput struggled greatly last season and the team could use an upgrade if they aren’t comfortable giving those checking roles to younger players. Vancouver often lacked an edge last season and if White brings anything to a team, it’s toughness and grit.
Morning Notes: Lindros, Sabres, McCool
The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that they will raise Eric Lindros‘ #88 sweater to the rafters in January of next year, retiring it from circulation among their players. No one has worn the number since Lindros’ departure, but his sweater will now officially join the likes of Bernie Parent (#1), Mark Howe (#2), Barry Ashbee (#4), Bill Barber (#7) and Bobby Clarke (#16) in retirement.
Lindros was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, and as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post points out on Twitter, Mark Recchi‘s #8 could join the retired list next season. Recchi is among the 2017 Hall of Fame inductees, and spent parts of ten seasons with the Flyers. Lindros’ ceremony will be held on January 18th, before the Flyers take on the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- The Buffalo Sabres announced a huge list of number changes for the upcoming season, including Jason Pominville re-acquiring his #29 from Jake McCabe. Pominville has worn the number for his entire career, including the nine previous seasons he spent in Buffalo. McCabe will wear #19 this season. To keep up with all player numbers and depth charts, make sure to head over to Roster Resource where things are constantly updated with the latest information.
- According to Andy Strickland of Fox Sports, Hayden McCool will be in rookie camp for the St. Louis Blues, fresh off a Memorial Cup win in Windsor. McCool is a big forward who was deployed in a purely checking role for the Spitfires of the OHL. Undrafted, he’ll attend camp hoping to earn an AHL spot somewhere, though the Blues don’t have a single affiliate this season. McCool will more than likely only make an impact at the minor league level, but his work ethic and physical game is one that could translate to a fourth-line at some point.
Morin, Hagg Likely To Make Flyers Defense
- Philly.com’s Sam Carchidi writes that Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg are the leading candidates to win the open defense jobs in training camp over Travis Sanheim and Phil Myers. Morin, the Flyers first-round pick in 2013, is a physical defensive blueliner who stands at 6-foot-7, 227 pounds and should provide the Flyers some much needed size. Hagg, a second-round pick in that same draft, has quite a bit of experience in the AHL and looks ready to take the next step.
Afternoon Notes: Flyers, Panarin, Butcher
Even though the Philadelphia Flyers picked second overall in the 2017 draft, they weren’t that bad of a team. The Flyers actually finished the season with a 33-39-10 record, good enough for 88 points. Eleven teams finished worse in the standings than the Flyers. So, while the team wasn’t at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the team did make some changes. They got a little younger, trading away 25-goal scorer Brayden Schenn for struggling Jori Lehtera, a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional first-round pick in 2018, they let defenseman Michael Del Zotto walk and they swapped goaltenders, replacing veteran Steve Mason with Brian Elliott. They also drafted second-overall pick Nolan Patrick in the draft this year.
However, Philly.com’s Sam Donnellon writes that it will be very difficult to measure in which direction the team will go this year. Even with many of their veterans returning, there are too many unknowns, including the defense could have two or more rookie defensemen, both Patrick and top prospect Oskar Lindblom could make the team out of training camp and their goaltending still looks to be less than stellar. Some of those points could be positives as Lindblom and Patrick could have big first seasons or Elliott could have a comeback season.
The scribe writes that a lot of the teams success or lack thereof will fall on third-year coach Dave Hakstol, who must figure out how to fit all the pieces together while developing the team’s emerging youth.
- In an interview with Artemi Panarin in a Russian newspaper, SB Nation’s Dave Melton got a translated copy, in which he states he was surprised to be traded from Chicago, but is eager to move on to Columbus and hopes for an even bigger role with the Blue Jackets. The fact that multiple players have said they would like to play alongside him including Alexander Wennberg, is what Panarin says is exciting about the move. “That’s why I see this trade as a springboard and not a pitfall.”
- While likely meaningless, Denver Post’s Mike Chambers tweeted a picture of unrestricted free agent defenseman and Hobey Baker Award winner Will Butcher at Denver International Airport on Friday, carrying a bag with the Buffalo Sabres logo on it. Chambers suggests that his first visit was to Buffalo. The Sabres, Vegas Golden Knights, Columbus Blue Jackets and the New Jersey Devils have been reported to have reached out to the free agent out of the University of Denver.
James De Haas Signs AHL Contract With Philadelphia
The recent signing of Leon Draisaitl to an eight-year, $68MM contract has put the spotlight on some other players around the league, perhaps most notably Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. Eichel is currently in contract negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres on what would likely be an eight-year extension, even though he’s not a restricted free agent until next summer. Darren Dreger of TSN joined WGR 550 in Buffalo today to talk about the potential contract, and he suggested something that few Buffalo fans wanted to hear.
Dreger believes the comparable for Eichel is still Connor McDavid, who signed an eight-year $100MM extension earlier this summer, and thinks the Buffalo center could get as much as $9.5MM on his new deal. That’s a huge number for a player who was limited by injury last season, and would put him among the top-10 players in the league. It seems like a ridiculous amount, but Eichel does have a higher points-per-game rate than Draisaitl and is already a full-time center. The face of the Sabres’ franchise should have a deal done within the next few weeks, as both sides want to get it done before training camp.
- Zach Hyman knows that he could be pushed down the lineup in Toronto after the Maple Leafs signed Patrick Marleau, but he’s okay with that. Speaking with Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Hyman made it clear that he’s just dedicated to winning and is happy to have even more depth on the wing. After a season in which he faced plenty of crisiticm for his perceived lack of “finish”—Hyman scored just 10 goals and 28 points despite playing with Auston Matthews for every game—he was signed to a four-year contract this summer. A clear favorite of Mike Babcock, Hyman sounded like a future coach when he told Hornby that “it’s good to have this problem.” The 25-year old will likely spend more time in a bottom-six role this year, where he could thrive chasing down weaker defenders in the offensive zone.
- The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed James De Haas to an AHL contract. The 23-year old defenseman was a Detroit Red Wings draft pick, but became a free agent on Wednesday after finishing his four years at Clarkson University. He’s an interesting prospect that found a lot of success in the NCAA but doesn’t have a standout tool. Still, his size, skating and defensive ability could lead him to fill a depth role on the Philadelphia roster eventually. After logging huge minutes at Clarkson, he could step right into a big role for the Phantoms, who rely on more offensive-minded options like T.J. Brennan and Will O’Neill at present.
Morning Notes: Tavares, World Cup, Krushelnyski
The New York Islanders continue to be the center of attention when it comes to 2018 free agency. As we creep closer to training camp and the start of the regular season, many are questioning why superstar center John Tavares hasn’t signed an extension yet. Tavares is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer but doesn’t seem worried about the lack of a deal. He told Arthur Staple of Newsday that “there’s really no rush” and that he’d take as much time as he needs.
He did admit that he’s keeping an eye on the Islanders’ search for a new home, but that those things are out of his hands. It’s interesting that Tavares so publicly stated his attachment to the arena search, and will drum up a new round of speculation over whether he’ll leave if a permanent home isn’t found within the next 10 months. There’s obviously much more going into his decision, but the Islanders need to soon find some stability on and off the ice.
- Rick Westhead of TSN reports on the financial take from last fall’s World Cup of Hockey, announcing that the NHL and NHLPA split a $44MM profit. Though that may sound like a big number, players who participated earned just $86K while others got $10K. Both of those numbers are pre-tax, meaning many of the players earned even less. $86K may seem like a lot to some, but for the top players who gave up much of their training camp and put themselves at risk of injury it doesn’t seem like enough. While both sides want this event to continue, it’ll likely take a bigger paycheck to have it run long-term.
- Alex Krushelnyski is back in the AHL, after signing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms today. The 26-year old played 43 games for the Binghamton Senators last year, recording just seven points. Krushelnyski has been an outstanding scoring threat in the ECHL but has had trouble finding his footing in the upper minor league. He’ll join the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate as they look to repeat their 48-23-5 season from a year ago.
Philadelphia Flyers Have Their Hands Full In Goal
The Philadelphia Flyers felt they had to make some goaltending changes this offseason after a year in which they were tied for 26th in save percentage as a team (.901). Veteran goaltender Steve Mason finished the season with a 2.66 GAA in 58 contests which left a lot to be desired, while backup Michal Neuvirth, who many hoped might build on a strong 2015-16 season and take over the starting reigns last year, finshed with an even more disappointing 2.82 GAA.
The team re-signed Neuvirth to a two-year, $5MM deal in March and then allowed Mason to go his own way, which turned out to be signing with the Winnipeg Jets. The Flyers then signed veteran Brian Elliott to a two-year, $5.5MM contract. He was also coming off a disappointing season with the Calgary Flames. The 32-year-old veteran finished last season with a 2.55 GAA in 49 games, which wasn’t enough for the Flames to want to bring him back.
CSN Philly’s John Boruk, Tom Dougherty, Jordan Hall, and Greg Paone all weighed in on what their expectations are for the changes next year in goal and, no surprise, many of them had differing opinions when it comes to the goaltenders.
All four scribes, for the most part, agreed that there was no loss in seeing Mason walk. Dougherty was the only one who suggests that Mason is probably currently the best of the three goaltenders, but Boruk believes that Mason is nothing better than an average goaltender despite his athleticism and size.
However, the real debate comes to Neuvirth. The 29-year-old goaltender had a great season in the 2015-16 season when he played 32 games and came away with a 2.27 GAA and a .924 save percentage in a backup role. However, after last year’s disappointment, the question is where is he now. Injuries are the biggest issue with both Hall and Paone. Neuvirth has missed time due to injuries over the past few years, including a knee injury and a moment in April when he collapsed in the middle of a game. Hall believes that he will never be able to be better than a backup with his health always an issue, while Paone believes that the Flyers would never have offered him a two-year deal if they didn’t think he could be the team’s No. 1 goaltender. Neither Boruk or Dougherty believe that Neuvirth can handle a starting role and at best, he would be able to pressure the starting goaltender for time.
As for Elliott, Boruk cites adjusting to life as a new father as a reason for his struggles last year in Calgary. Most of his struggles came early in the season as his worst numbers came in the first 13 games of the season and he finished the rest of the season with a 23-6-2 record. Dougherty suggests that Elliott is past his prime and shouldn’t provide numbers any better than what Mason offered Philadelphia.
Boruk also mentions that expect a third or even fourth goaltender who has to help out. Don’t be surprised if youngsters Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon both come up to fill in at certain points.