Philadelphia Flyers Sign Morgan Frost
The Philadelphia Flyers have completed a little more restricted free agent work, signing Morgan Frost to a one-year, one-way contract worth $800K. Frost was not yet eligible for arbitration and had little leverage in negotiations.
This is something of a “show me” deal for the 23-year-old forward, who hasn’t been able to find much consistency at the NHL level to this point. In 77 career games, he has 23 points, though those have been spread over three seasons and haven’t been noticeable enough to really cement him as a true building block for the future.
In fact, some would argue that his development has been so scarred by constant bouncing between the AHL and NHL that Frost will never become the cerebral offensive dynamo that the Flyers hoped for when they made him the 27th overall pick in 2017. He did have 19 points in 24 games at the AHL level this season but even there his game was marred with inconsistency.
Still, having only turned 23 in May, there is still time to turn it around. If given the opportunity this season Frost might still be able to turn into a full-time contributor, and since Philadelphia’s big moves in free agency have been more geared toward bottom-six help, there could be an opening higher in the lineup. If he wants to be an impact player in the NHL this is the season to prove it.
Andrew Brunette Joins Devils As Associate Coach
July 15: The Devils have officially announced Brunette as the team’s new associate coach, mentioning how he was a teammate of general manager Tom Fitzgerald with the Nashville Predators in 1998-99.
July 13: It’s not just players making news today. ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reports the New Jersey Devils have reached a three-year agreement with Andrew Brunette on an associate coaching role. TSN’s Darren Dreger was first to report that things were tracking toward an agreement between Brunette and the New Jersey Devils, but also listed the Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, and Vancouver Canucks as teams with interest in the 2022 Jack Adams Award finalist.
Not often do you see a coach of the year contender immediately hit the open market, let alone do you see them settle for an associate coaching role. But with just five years of coaching experience in the NHL in total, and the Panthers opting to hire the more experienced Paul Maurice, Brunette hits the open market as a high-end support man for teams’ benches. In New Jersey, he’d serve behind an extremely experienced bench boss in Lindy Ruff, allowing him to gain just a little more time in the league before undoubtedly returning to a head coaching role down the road.
And after those three seasons, that’s undoubtedly what he’ll do. It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see him take over for Ruff in three years’ time, or even sooner if New Jersey decides to part with Ruff before that. It’s a good backup plan in case things go wrong with Ruff at the helm.
Metro Notes: Penguins, Thompson, Mukhamadullin
The Pittsburgh Penguins went into yesterday’s free agency frenzy with eight defensemen already under one-way contracts for the upcoming season. Then they made their biggest signing of the day a three-year deal for Jan Rutta. Now, with too many defensemen and not enough spots, it appears a trade is coming.
General manager Ron Hextall admitted as much at a press conference yesterday, explaining there were a “couple too many” defensemen with the team now. It should come as no surprise then when David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that John Marino and Marcus Pettersson are both “out there” in trade talks today. The two defensemen are both signed for at least three years and at least $4MM per season, meaning these won’t be scrap heap buys for anyone who is interested.
- The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to hire Rocky Thompson, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The former minor league enforcer parted ways with the San Jose Sharks last September, explaining that due to a medical exemption that prevented him from taking a COVID-19 vaccine, he was not permitted to continue as the team’s associate coach. Thompson has a strong coaching resume that includes stints as the head coach of the Windsor Spitfires and Chicago Wolves, though as Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic notes, it is unclear what kind of restrictions his vaccination status will lead to next season.
- It appears as though Shakir Mukhamadullin could be spending another year in the KHL, as he is listed in the league transfers as signing a new contract with Ufa Salavat Yulaev, the club he has spent the last several seasons with. The New Jersey Devils prospect did sign his entry-level contract in the NHL but it includes a European Assignment Clause. It is likely that this new KHL agreement is in case he fails to make the Devils roster out of camp, and will lead to his return overseas instead of assignment to the AHL. There’s no rush for the 20-year-old, though he will burn the first year of his ELC no matter where he plays this season.
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Five Players
The Philadelphia Flyers have announced five depth signings, including Cooper Marody, whose name emerged earlier today. The others are Troy Grosenick, Louis Belpedio, Kevin Connauton, and Adam Brooks. The five have signed the following contracts:
- Brooks: Two-year, two-way contract, $762.5K AAV
- Marody: Two-year, two-way contract, $762.5K AAV
- Connauton: Two-year, two-way contract, $762.5K AAV
- Belpedio: One-year, two-way contract, $750K
- Grosenick: One-year, one-way contract, $750K
These deals certainly won’t excite many Flyers fans, who have struggled to see the plan from general manager Chuck Fletcher this offseason. They do represent some big moves for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms though, as each one has had plenty of minor league success.
The most interesting one is Grosenick, given Ivan Fedotov‘s situation in Russia and the lack of many other goaltending options in the Flyers’ system. Felix Sandstrom is the odds-on favorite for the backup role, but Grosenick’s one-way deal is an interesting twist. The 32-year-old netminder has been outstanding in the minor leagues for the last several seasons, and will now be making that $750K no matter where he plays. If Sandstrom falters at all, perhaps Grosenick will be asked to take over the NHL role behind Carter Hart at some point.
Philadelphia Flyers To Sign Braun, Deslauriers, Marody
It’s time to come home for Justin Braun, who is signing a one-year, $1MM contract with the Philadelphia Flyers according to Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic. Because it will be a one-year, 35+ contract, Braun is eligible for performance bonuses, which can take the value of the deal to $1.75MM.
He’ll be joined by Nicolas Deslauriers, who is also heading to the Flyers on a four-year deal that will carry an average annual value of $1.75MM. In a lesser move, minor league star Cooper Marody will also be joining the Flyers on a two-year deal, according to his agency Bartlett Hockey.
Braun, 35, played parts of three seasons with the Flyers before ending up traded to the New York Rangers at this year’s deadline. A dependable defensive option, he doesn’t offer much offensive upside and will likely play an even smaller role this year as Philadelphia tries to contend for a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.
It’s Deslauriers that will get the headlines, given the four-year term that the physical forward landed in Philadelphia. Already 31, this is a contract that will take him deep into his thirties despite Deslauriers scoring just 44 goals and 85 points in 506 career games.
He offers a bunch of other things, including the ability to drop the gloves, but handing out that many years to a fourth-line player isn’t common in today’s NHL. Still, with a cap hit of just $1.75MM it doesn’t carry a ton of risk for the Flyers, who could bury most of that in the minor leagues if necessary.
Johnny Gaudreau To Test Free Agency
As first reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Calgary Flames aren’t expected to reach an agreement with top free-agent forward Johnny Gaudreau prior to the market opening tomorrow at noon Eastern time. He’ll test free agency and hit the open market as a result.
Gaudreau and Calgary haven’t come to an agreement despite steadily increasing offers from general manager Brad Treliving to get him to stay. It was reported earlier today that Calgary had offered Gaudreau an eight-year deal worth more than $10MM per season. Gaudreau either believes he can get more on the open market tomorrow, or he simply wants a change of scenery out of Alberta.
After his electric 115-point season, he’ll have a certain handful of teams willing to pony up eight figures to get his services. While the Philadelphia Flyers have been linked to him constantly for years, they’ve failed to clear enough cap space in order to make signing him a realistic possibility. One team with loads of cap space that’s a logical fit is the New Jersey Devils, who could launch themselves into playoff contention with a Gaudreau/Jack Hughes connection up front.
No matter what, Gaudreau is slated to join the more-than-$10MM cap hit club tomorrow. He’d be the 15th player in the league currently on an eight-figure deal and the only left wing aside from the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin.
Philadelphia Flyers To Buy Out Oskar Lindblom
The Philadelphia Flyers have placed Oskar Lindblom on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout, which will clear a considerable amount of cap off the books for next season. Lindblom’s deal has one year left on it at a cap hit of $3MM, but because of his age, they are only required to pay out one-third of the remaining salary.
That will result in a cap credit of $333,333 for the 2022-23 season, and a cap penalty of $666,667 for 2023-24. The team has also announced that in recognition of Lindblom, they will be making a $100,000 donation to a local organization that supports families impacted by cancer. General manager Chuck Fletcher released a statement:
This was a very difficult decision to make and one that we spent a lot of time examining. No one can question the desire, will and strength to overcome all that Oskar has been through off the ice in order to return to the game he loves. Further, Oskar’s commitment to his teammates and impact in our room has been immeasurable. He is truly an inspiration to us all and he will always remain a special part of the Philadelphia Flyers family. We wish him all the best as he continues his NHL career.
This move will essentially clear $3.33MM for the Flyers as they prepare for free agency tomorrow, with rumors also swirling about the future of James van Riemsdyk and his $7MM cap hit. The team has made very clear that they have no intention of rebuilding, making them potential players in several big names tomorrow.
For Lindblom, there is little doubt that another NHL team will give him a chance. After making his way back from a cancer diagnosis, he hasn’t quite reached the level he showed in the early part of his career but still contributed 12 goals and 26 points this season. The 25-year-old is a talented goal-scorer and has already overachieved his fifth-round draft position.
Importantly, if a team were to sign him to a one-year deal, Lindblom would once again be a restricted free agent at its conclusion, meaning any interested club could potentially land some important control for a relative bargain.
Philadelphia Flyers Acquire Tony DeAngelo
July 11: The Flyers have officially announced the two-year extension, which will carry an average annual value of $5MM exactly. DeAngelo will be scheduled for unrestricted free agency following the 2023-24 season.
July 8: The Philadelphia Flyers have added some offense to their blue line, acquiring Tony DeAngelo from the Carolina Hurricanes for pick No. 101 today, a third-round pick in 2023 (the lowest of the three they own), and a second-round pick in 2024. The Flyers will also receive pick No. 220 today.
Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher released the following:
We’re very happy to add Tony to our team and I know he is very excited to join the Flyers. We did our due diligence and we strongly believe in Tony and his ability to help our team. He is a right-handed shot who moves the puck extremely well and will drive offense from the back end for us.
Because DeAngelo is a restricted free agent, the Flyers also needed to work out an extension with him. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the deal will be for two years, while Charlie O’Connor of The Athletic adds that it will carry an average annual value of about $5MM.
After being exiled from the New York Rangers locker room and bought out at the end of the 2020-21 season, DeAngelo arrived in Carolina to try and re-establish himself as a premier offensive defenseman in the league. He did just that, scoring 51 points in 64 games, while generally staying out of the spotlight.
Still, the Hurricanes decided to move on before they had to, as the 26-year-old defenseman could have been kept through the arbitration process. Instead, he was given permission to speak with other teams about a potential trade and extension.
They found a taker in Philadelphia, who give up a good amount of draft capital for the right to sign DeAngelo to a relatively expensive contract. The Flyers have made it very clear that they have no interest in a rebuild, and this shows they are committed to trying to compete in 2022-23.
It also might point to the uncertainty surrounding the health of Ryan Ellis, who may not be ready for the start of the season. DeAngelo can run the powerplay and log minutes on the right side, though he doesn’t exactly have the same defensive chops.
For Carolina, who is also expected to move Ethan Bear at some point this offseason, there are some holes to fill on the back end. Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce can cover up a lack of depth to a point but it will be interesting to see how aggressive they are in free agency next week.
Bobby Brink Suffers Hip Injury
- Flyers winger Bobby Brink has sustained a hip injury during offseason workouts that might require surgery, Anthony SanFilippo of Crossing Broad was first to report (Twitter link). No timeline for a return is known yet but SanFilippo suggests the injury is severe enough that it could run into the start of next season; Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer adds (via Twitter) that the 21-year-old will see a specialist in a few days and that the team will have a better understanding of how much time he’ll miss by the end of the week. Brink had four assists in 10 NHL games down the stretch while logging over 15 minutes a night.
Philadelphia Flyers Select Cutter Gauthier Fifth Overall
One of the best fits heading into the draft seemed like the Philadelphia Flyers and Cutter Gauthier, and it worked out for both sides. The big winger–who will be transitioning to center for Boston College–goes fifth overall.
If Gauthier can handle that transition, this could be a huge upside play for the Flyers. Finding centers this big, fast, and skilled is almost impossible outside of the draft, and rare to find even there.
The USNTDP standout is headed the college route and won’t be joining them in the fall but could be a one-and-done player for BC. Philadelphia has been clear that they don’t want a full rebuild, meaning waiting multiple years for their top pick might not be ideal.