Will Depth Players Get Paid Again This Summer?
Something funny was happening in the summer of 2019. Depth players began getting serious term on multi-year deals to a level we’d rarely seen before.
Take the contract for depth forward Brandon Tanev, who signed a six-year, $21MM deal with the Penguins. At the time, that contract raised a lot of eyebrows, as Tanev had topped out at just 14 goals and 15 assists in any single season, and a $3.5MM average annual value was especially steep on such a long-term deal.
The deal was an outlier on July 1, 2019, with no close comparison other than the Panthers signing Brett Connolly to a four-year, $14MM deal. Connolly was coming off a 46-point season, which far exceeded any of Tanev’s offensive contributions.
There was a sense at the time that the NHL might shift, with depth players able to secure longer-term, higher-dollar contracts. When Colton Sissons signed his seven-year extension with the Predators a few weeks later, it certainly looked that way.
Sissons was two years younger than Tanev and an RFA, whereas Tanev was a UFA, yet their eventual contracts were comparable. However, the global pandemic in 2020 stalled the league’s growth and led to a flat salary cap, effectively shutting teams out of paying for depth and fringe players’ big-money deals.
The stars still got their money, as evidenced by 2020 free agency, when Alex Pietrangelo was still paid handsomely (seven years, $61.6MM), while depth players had to take one-year deals at or around the league minimum.
The stars have continued to get their money, and top salaries have escalated over the last few years, while second-line players have also been rewarded handsomely as the salary cap has eventually climbed. But the depth players in the NHL have continued to feel the squeeze to this point, and it does feel like that might change this summer, with another big cap jump coming, multiple teams with loads of cap space, and a very weak free agency market.
In previous summers, solid defenders such as Calvin de Haan and Matt Grzelcyk, as well as forwards Jack Roslovic and Evgenii Dadonov, have been part of a large group of NHL-caliber players who have experienced a very tight free-agent market when they have been available to all NHL teams. Now, it’s not unheard of for players to fall short of salary expectations in free agency, but it has become a common occurrence over the last six years, and it feels like this could be a summer where teams overpay for depth.
There has been a surge in signings in recent weeks, with the most recent being the Penguins locking up fourth-line center Blake Lizotte to a three-year deal worth $6.75MM total, and the Canadiens inking Alexandre Texier to a two-year deal worth $2.5MM per season. These deals were not massive signings, but they show that teams are moving to lock up their depth as they look to the summer UFAs and realize there isn’t much out there.
Center Christian Dvorak is another excellent example, having recently signed a five-year deal with the Flyers after settling for a one-year deal last summer. Dvorak has long been injury-prone and inconsistent, but the Flyers felt they had to ink him to an extension amid a career year in Philadelphia.
So, what depth players will get shocking contracts this upcoming summer, or will they? If you go by the old cliché that a rising tide raises all boats, it sure looks like the players at the bottom of the lineup will finally start to get a bigger slice of the pie.
Could a player like Ryan Shea, Connor Dewar, or Philipp Kurashev get a big-money, multi-year deal this summer? Or will teams continue to show restraint in the lower rungs of the free agency market, even though they have more wiggle room?
It’s hard to believe there won’t be some silly deals on July 1, 2026. There are always head-scratching choices NHL GMs make. But this could be a free agency unlike any we’ve seen in a decade or so.
July 1, 2016, is hard to forget for some teams, as massive mistakes were made that were clearly bad choices at the time. Loui Eriksson signed with Vancouver, Milan Lucic signed with Edmonton, and David Backes signed with Boston. Several other players were given ridiculous contracts relative to their future projections, which wasn’t anything new, especially for players with a history of being top-six NHL players.
However, some general managers watched those errors and learned a valuable lesson that carried through the COVID years, when there was a massive salary-cap squeeze. While teams didn’t have the salary-cap space to make the egregious contract offers, some GMs still did, and they usually paid the price for it.
A good example was Penguins GM Ron Hextall, who made some odd choices in free agency, particularly when he signed a Tanev replacement in the summer of 2021. Hextall inked Brock McGinn to a four-year, $11MM contract that was a poor value for the Penguins and was eventually traded along with a sweetener to the Anaheim Ducks in 2023.
That deal, along with contracts like Pierre Engvall’s, highlighted why many teams stayed away from giving terms to their depth players. But this summer, the stars are aligning for some wild contracts to be handed out to players who likely won’t last the length of the deal in the NHL. For fans of contending teams, or teams on the upswing who think they are just a player away from contention, you just have to hope your favorite team isn’t among the unlucky ones handing out the money.
Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak To Five-Year Extension
Another pending free agent domino has fallen, as the Philadelphia Flyers announced that Christian Dvorak has been extended on a five-year deal worth $5.15MM per season. The news was first reported by Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff, who shared that the two sides were closing in earlier this evening.
According to Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, the agreement carries a no-trade clause for the first two years, a limited no-trade clause in years three and four, and finally, no trade protection in the fifth and final year.
The extension will keep the soon-to-be 30-year-old Dvorak in the orange and black for what could prove to be his longest stay anywhere, after five and four year stops in Arizona and Montreal, respectively.
Signed by the Flyers last summer on a one-year deal worth $5.4MM, Dvorak has been a strong fit, with 25 points in 39 games so far this season which is on pace to be a career best by a considerable margin. Somewhat surprisingly, the Illinois native has become a top center on a Flyers club right in the playoff mix, and rather than hit the market with his value as high as ever, Dvorak cashes in and now can settle in on his home for years to come.
AFP Analytics predicted that if he were to hit the open market, Dvorak could have been due for a four year contract worth $5.6MM per. Given the especially thin center market, the money is right on track, and the extra year may have been the cherry on top to get it done.
Chosen in the second round of the 2014 draft by Arizona, the Montreal Canadiens were impressed by Dvorak’s track record in five seasons as a ‘Yote. Just prior to the start of the 2021-22 campaign, they gave up first and second round picks, setting him up with an opportunity to blossom into a true top six center. Dvorak came to the Habs in a transitional phase, as former GM Marc Bergevin tried to create a new window. It didn’t materialize as envisioned, and shortly thereafter, Bergevin was let go. Even through a rebuild, Dvorak managed to stick around, but he never took another step as a Hab, dealing with injuries and never eclipsing the 33-point mark.
In need of a placeholder center, the Flyers were content to give Dvorak a “prove it” deal where the center bet on himself, aware he’d likely hold a larger role in Philadelphia. A possible spring trade-flip was likely in the back of the Flyers’ minds, but instead, to Dvorak’s credit, it has paid off. Such a contract may bring some sticker shock, but even as the Flyers’ youth takes form in coming years, Dvorak brings real intangibles. As shared by David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, GM Daniel Briere spoke highly of Dvorak’s trustworthy two-way abilities, and his key role in the locker room.
What will be most fascinating, is where his game goes from here. On paper, Dvorak figures to age into a bottom six center capable of strong shutdown play, but his current metrics lean offensively, with a questionable defensive impact. Still just 39 games into his tenure, Philadelphia is banking on the center to continue such offensive output and not regress to his previous ~30 point level. Clearly they hold Dvorak in high regard, and with ample cap space and an extremely limited free agent market this summer, it may be a gamble worth taking. Dvorak figures to be a respectable bridge-gapper for center prospects Jett Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt, both quintessential Flyers following Briere’s vision.
With Dvorak out of the fold, along with Alexander Wennberg, who re-upped with San Jose yesterday at three years, $6MM per season, even more eyes turn to Utah’s Nick Schmaltz, in the midst of a great season. Based on recent developments, Utah may need to weigh their options with their top line center. The Mammoth still hold onto an outside shot at the postseason, where they’d love to make their first appearance in franchise history, but a top scorer may be preparing to hit the open market in July.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s core is now mostly locked up entering 2026-27, outside of Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale, both pending restricted free agents. If they can maintain their performance of late and make a real playoff push, Briere still holds enough cap flexibility to supplement the group further. Dvorak will work to prove his value as a Flyer, scoring when needed and contributing in all situations, giving the team a big morale boost from today’s news.
Photo Courtesy of Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Philadelphia Flyers, Christian Dvorak Discussing Extension
In yesterday’s rendition of Saturday Headlines with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider suggested that the Philadelphia Flyers are working toward an extension with center Christian Dvorak, and it could get done relatively soon. Since he signed a one-year deal with the Flyers last summer, Dvorak isn’t eligible to sign an extension until January 1, 2026.
Although he has to wait a few more days until he can finally put pen to paper, Friedman articulated that the deal is as good as done. Friedman said, “He’s played very well there. From what I can say, there are other teams out there who do no expect Dvorak to hit the market. They think he’s going to sign, but both sides have to make it work.”
As Friedman noted, if Dvorak signs an extension in Philadelphia, that removes another potential option for teams leading up to the trade deadline. Of centers that are projected to hit unrestricted free agency at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign, Dvorak is third in scoring.
However, there’s no indication the Flyers were going to be in a position to trade Dvorak, even if they weren’t close to extending him. Surprisingly, Philadelphia enters tonight’s action in a divisional playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division and is second in points percentage in the Eastern Conference. Given how good he’s been for them this season, the Flyers could have kept Dvorak as a pseudo rental as they look to return to the playoffs.
Barring any injuries or significant setbacks to his on-ice performance, the 2025-26 season will be the best of Dvorak’s career. He’s scored eight goals and 24 points in 35 games for the Flyers this season, averaging 17 minutes of ice time per game. His current career-high in points came during the 2019-20 season with the Arizona Coyotes, when Dvorak scored 18 goals and 38 points in 70 games.
Aside from his offensive output, the best news for Philadelphia is that Dvorak is still relatively young. At 29 years of age, Dvorak could hold down the fort in the Flyers’ middle-six for the next few seasons as they introduce younger talent to the team. His career 53.1% faceoff percentage could make him one of the better third-line center options for years to come.
Flyers Reassign Aleksei Kolosov
12/22/25: The Flyers announced Monday morning that they have reassigned Kolosov back to AHL Lehigh Valley. The announcement of Kolosov’s reassignment came with an announcement that Vladar has recovered from his injury and will be available tonight for the team’s game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Kolosov didn’t hit the ice during his most recent emergency recall, instead serving as a backup to Sam Ersson. Ersson saved 23 of 27 shots in the team’s shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
12/20/25: Needing an extra goalie following the announcement that Daniel Vladar is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury, the Flyers have recalled goaltender Aleksei Kolosov from AHL Lehigh Valley. Philadelphia had an open roster spot so no corresponding move needed to be made.
It’s the second recall of the season for the 23-year-old. Kolosov got into two games during his first stint in early November, making one start while coming into the game in relief in the other. He fared well in those outings, turning aside 26 of 28 shots. That’s certainly a positive sign after he struggled mightily in his first taste of NHL action last season which saw him post a 3.59 GAA and a .867 SV% in 17 outings with the Flyers.
Those struggles played a big role in the team going out and signing Vladar in free agency over the summer to try to stabilize things between the pipes which he has certainly done. That has resulted in Kolosov spending most of the year with the Phantoms where he has played in 15 games, compiling a 2.77 GAA along with a .900 SV%.
The team also announced that center Christian Dvorak is also out today with a lower-body injury; like Vladar, he’s listed as day-to-day. His spot in the lineup today will be taken by Denver Barkey, who will make his NHL debut after being recalled on Friday.
East Notes: Dvorak, Senators, Fitzgerald
When the Flyers signed Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4MM contract this summer, the widely held belief was that it was likely that they’d look to flip him at the trade deadline, possibly with salary retention. However, it doesn’t appear that is the plan at the moment. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic recently reported (subscription link) that with Philadelphia in the thick of the playoff race and the fact he’s on track for a career year offensively (he has 22 points in 31 games), the team isn’t planning to move him. Instead, exploring a potential contract extension could be in the cards. Because Dvorak is on a one-year deal, he’s ineligible to sign a contract until January.
Elsewhere in the East:
- The Senators are believed to be looking for a top-nine forward and some defensive depth, reports Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Recent injuries have tested their depth with centers Shane Pinto and Lars Eller out, the latter facing an extended absence while Thomas Chabot has played just once in the last month due to a couple of stints on injured reserve. Ottawa doesn’t have a 2026 first-round pick to dangle in a move, however, with that pick being forfeited due to their nondisclosure of Evgenii Dadonov’s no-trade clause in an attempted trade in 2021. The Sens have around $2.7MM in full-season cap space, per PuckPedia, so they may be hard-pressed to try to get both of those wants at this point.
- Amidst speculation about GM Tom Fitzgerald’s job security, NJ Advance Media’s Ryan Novozinsky reports that Fitzgerald has the full support of ownership and his job is not in jeopardy. There was some disappointment late last week when New Jersey wasn’t able to get a trade in place for Quinn Hughes while the team has struggled as of late, winning just six of 16 games since top center Jack Hughes suffered a hand injury. But while Buffalo opted for a change in management today, don’t expect the Devils to be doing the same.
West Notes: Zellweger, Mintyukov, Suchanek, Canucks, Ritchie
The Ducks received trade interest in young defensemen Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports in his latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link). The 21-year-olds are believed to be a big part of Anaheim’s future but were in and out of the lineup at times, something that Friedman notes resulted in both players going to management about their playing time. Zellweger had 20 points in 62 games last season while Mintyukov had 19 in 68, a drop of nine points from his rookie-season performance. Despite the trade interest, Friedman relays that Anaheim doesn’t have any interest in moving either youngster.
More from out West:
- Still with the Ducks, prospect goaltender Tomas Suchanek has fully recovered from the torn ACL sustained last summer just after development camp, relays Derek Lee of The Hockey News. The 22-year-old impressed in his first professional season back in 2023-24 where he put up a 2.92 GAA and a .910 SV% in 29 games with AHL San Diego, earning him an entry-level contract along the way. As things stand, Suchanek seems likely either to be the backup with the Gulls behind Ville Husso or starting at ECHL Tulsa to give him a shot at more playing time.
- The Canucks showed strong interest in center Christian Dvorak earlier this week, Rick Dhaliwal of CHEK reports (Twitter link). Dvorak ultimately signed a one-year, $5.4MM contract with Philadelphia while Vancouver is believed to have put a three-year pact on the table worth around $4MM per season. The 29-year-old had 33 points in 82 games with Montreal last season while winning nearly 56% of his faceoffs.
- Wild prospect Ryder Ritchie announced on his Instagram page that he has committed to play for Boston University for the upcoming season. The 18-year-old was a second-round pick by Minnesota last year, going 45th overall. Ritchie spent last season with WHL Medicine Hat, collecting 61 points in 53 regular season games and averaging a point per game in 18 playoff outings. He then capped off the campaign with four goals and an assist in four Memorial Cup appearances.
Flyers Sign Christian Dvorak, Noah Juulsen, Dennis Gilbert
12:32 p.m.: The Flyers have confirmed those signings and also announced a one-year deal for defenseman Dennis Gilbert worth $875,000. Gilbert, 28, had six points and 63 hits in 29 games last year with the Sabres and Senators.
11:04 a.m.: According to Rick Dhaliwal of The Athletic, the Philadelphia Flyers are expected to sign defenseman Noah Juulsen. PuckPedia quickly followed up, indicating it’ll be a one-year, $900K investment by Philadelphia. Furthermore, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Flyers have also signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4MM contract. PuckPedia added that Dvorak will earn a $4MM base salary with Philadelphia and a $1.4MM signing bonus.
Juulsen will be following his former head coach, Rick Tocchet, with the Vancouver Canucks, to the Flyers organization. He was only afforded a quick trip through unrestricted free agency after a disappointing year with the Canucks. Limited by injuries, Juulsen concluded the 2024-25 campaign with no points over 35 games, averaging 16:17 of ice a night in a bottom-pairing role.
Already carrying quality depth on the right side of their defense, the Flyers are likely expecting Juulsen to fit into a depth role this season. He’s a fairly physical blue liner, averaging nearly three hits per game throughout his career. Furthermore, he earned a 90.3% on-ice save percentage at even strength throughout his tenure in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, the Flyers have also added one of the best remaining free-agent options at center in Dvorak. He’s coming off a quality season with the Canadiens, scoring 12 goals and 33 points in 82 games with a -5 rating. He’ll be a boon for Philadelphia in the faceoff dot, managing a 53.1% success rate throughout his 534-game NHL career.
Still, it’ll be interesting to see how the Flyers utilize Dvorak. He’s a natural center, best deployed in a third-line role. However, if the team hopes to use freshly acquired Trevor Zegras down the middle, Dvorak could move to either wing. It’s a high cap-hit for a third-line forward, but he’ll give Philadelphia some stability toward the bottom of their forward core, especially with an influx of young talent expected next season.
Furthermore, if the Flyers are unable to compete for a playoff spot down the stretch, Dvorak could become a quality trade piece come deadline season. Contending teams are scouring the market for potential centers nearly every season, and Dvorak would be a valuable trade candidate considering his tertiary scoring capabilities and strength in the faceoff dot.
Canadiens Notes: Hutson, Laine, Free Agents, Dach
Lane Hutson put up historic numbers in his rookie season, and the Canadiens will look to capitalize on that by discussing a long-term extension as he enters the final season of his entry-level contract, general manager Kent Hughes said today (writes Marco D’Amico of RG). He’s not eligible to put pen to paper on a deal until July 1, but doing so immediately would prevent Hutson from a potentially testy ride through restricted free agency in 2026 and allow the Habs to achieve long-term cost certainty before he potentially increases his value in his sophomore campaign.
Hutson’s likely Calder-winning campaign needs no introduction. The 5’9″ defenseman exploded for 66 points in all 82 regular-season games, tying Lightning star Victor Hedman for sixth in the league in scoring among rearguards and leading all rookies in scoring. Not only does that make him the highest-scoring rookie defenseman in Montreal’s 107-year NHL history, but his 60 assists also tied Larry Murphy for most by a first-year blue liner.
Regardless of when they reach an extension, it’s a foregone conclusion they won’t be able to keep him under the internal salary hierarchy they stuck to when negotiating star winger Cole Caufield‘s eight-year extension two summers ago. They’ve yet to sign a deal eclipsing captain Nick Suzuki‘s $7.875MM cap hit since he signed that deal in 2021. Patrik Laine is technically the team’s highest-paid player at an $8.7MM cap hit, but they acquired that contract via trade. After seeing youngsters like Flames winger Matthew Coronato land a long-term deal at $6.5MM annually, Hughes will almost certainly have to go into the $8-9MM range on a new deal for Hutson.
There’s more on the Canadiens:
- While it wasn’t a glowing end to the season for Laine, Hughes credits his impact earlier in the year as instrumental in Montreal’s postseason berth (per D’Amico). The 27-year-old managed 20 goals and 33 points in 52 games after a quicker-than-expected return from a preseason knee injury, but 75% of his goals and 63% of his points came on the power play. His 5-on-5 possession numbers were among the worst on the club with a 43.0 CF% and led to diminished usage in Games 1 and 2 of their first-round series against the Capitals before a broken finger sidelined him for the final three games of their season.
- Hughes hasn’t made a decision either way on whether to pursue contract extensions with the team’s slate of pending unrestricted free agents, notes D’Amico. Luckily for him, he doesn’t have many of those decisions to make. One has already been made for him on defenseman David Savard, who announced his retirement. The comprehensive list of others includes NHL-rostered forwards Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak, and Michael Pezzetta; minor-league centers Alex Barré-Boulet and Brandon Gignac; and depth netminder Connor Hughes.
- The Canadiens “haven’t given up” on 24-year-old center Kirby Dach after a second major procedure on his right knee in as many years, D’Amico writes. Nonetheless, he relays executive vice president Jeff Gorton “didn’t look overly confident” when discussing Dach and notes he’ll need an eye-opening training camp to regain a top-six role. After playing just twice in the 2023-24 campaign, Dach’s performance wasn’t pretty in 2024-25 before the knee injury ended his campaign in February. He scored 22 points with a team-worst -29 rating in 57 games.
Canadiens Notes: Armia, Savard, Dvorak, Guhle
In an interview with Pierre LeBrun for The Athletic (subscription link), Canadiens GM Kent Hughes acknowledged that he was initially approaching the trade deadline as if they’d be selling. But the team went on a run after the 4 Nations break, resulting in a change of plan. In doing so, he noted that he started to move the goalposts on his asking price for winger Joel Armia, his most notable pending unrestricted free agent. Hughes admitted that while he wouldn’t say a flat-out no to acquiring teams, he readily stated that it would take a big overpayment to get him. Earlier this month, it was reported that the Canadiens had a second-round pick on the table for Armia but clearly, the adjusted asking price came in higher than that.
More from Montreal:
- Also from that interview, Hughes stated that he went into the deadline not expecting to move center Christian Dvorak or defenseman David Savard. He noted that with mid-round picks being the potential return for each of them, it wasn’t worth doing to add those while weakening their farm team in Laval which has been in a close battle for first in the AHL in recent weeks. Also, with one of the deeper prospect pools in the league and with 21 selections over the next two drafts, there wasn’t as much of a need to add extra picks to the cupboard. Both Dvorak and Savard are slated to be unrestricted free agents this summer and are likely facing pay cuts from their cap charges of $4.45MM and $3.5MM respectively.
- Defenseman Kaiden Guhle took part in today’s morning skate in a non-contact jersey, relays TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie (Twitter link). The 23-year-old is working his way back after suffering a lacerated quad tendon in late January. He’s still likely a little while away from returning to the lineup but if Montreal can hang around the playoff picture a bit longer, they could get a nice boost to their back end for the late push with Guhle being a big part of their top four, logging more than 21 minutes a night before being injured.
Atlantic Notes: Tuch, Tkachuk, Canadiens
Sabres winger Alex Tuch has been involved in plenty of trade speculation lately with teams believed to be calling Buffalo to see if they might consider moving him. However, if he has his way, he won’t be going anywhere. Tuch told Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News that he remains “heavily committed to this organization” and still hopes to be with the team past the upcoming trade deadline. The 28-year-old has 19 goals and 24 assists in 54 games this season on Buffalo’s top line and is only two years removed from a 79-point campaign. He’s one of their better bargains at a $4.75MM price tag which means that if the Sabres do decide to move him, they’ll be in line to land a significant return for his services. But it doesn’t sound like that’s the direction that Tuch would like to see things go.
More from the Atlantic:
- Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk won’t play against Seattle due to a lower-body injury. Head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including George Richards of Florida Hockey Now (Twitter link) that he will be assessed by Florida’s medical staff in the coming days to get a sense of how long he might be out for. ESPN’s John Buccigross adds (Twitter link) that the early sense is that Tkachuk could be out for a while. He suffered the injury playing at the 4 Nations Face-Off and wasn’t able to play much in the championship game on Thursday, logging less than seven minutes of ice time with his last shift coming late in the second period.
- The Canadiens have had discussions with the agents of pending UFAs David Savard and Joel Armia, reports Guillaume Lefrancois of La Presse. Savard has been in trade speculation going back to last season with teams often looking to add size and grit on their back end for a playoff run and while his ice time is down this season (he has a 17:46 ATOI), there will be teams interested in him as a third-pairing piece if a new deal can’t be reached. Armia, meanwhile, cleared waivers at the beginning of last season but bounced back to record 17 goals last year and is on pace to set a new career high in points this season while being one of the most-used forwards shorthanded league-wide.
- One pending UFA in Montreal who hasn’t had discussions with the Canadiens about a new deal is center Christian Dvorak, relays Richard Labbe of La Presse. Dvorak has struggled offensively the past two years and has just 17 points in 56 games so far this season, hardly a great return on a $4.45MM price tag. He’s winning over 57% of his faceoffs, however, which could draw some interest trade-wise as well. Notably, Montreal only has one salary retention slot remaining to use between Dvorak, Savard, Armia, or even Jake Evans if the two sides can’t reach an agreement on an extension before March 7th.