Flyers avoid arbitration, sign center Noah Cates to two-year deal

Noah Cates elected for salary arbitration on Wednesday. Five days later, he and the Flyers came to a deal as Cates signed a two-year, $5.25 million contract extension ($2.625 million average annual value).

The 24-year-old just completed his first full NHL season, playing in all 82 games after making the team out of training camp. Last season, Cates excelled, particularly defensively, after making the switch from wing to center under coach John Tortorella.

Tortorella had high praise for Cates all season, consistently noting his work ethic, hockey IQ, and responsible 200-foot game. Cates finished the season with 13 goals, 38 points, and a plus-minus rating of plus-3. He averaged 17 minutes, 46 seconds of ice time per game.

The rookie center often drew matchups against opponents’ top offensive players, including the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. He largely neutralized McDavid, the three-time Hart Trophy winner, in their first matchup. Throughout the season, Cates earned comparisons within the organization to Sean Couturier, the Flyers’ best defensive forward and a past Selke Trophy winner.

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At the end of the season, Cates earned 19 voting points for the Selke, which goes to “the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game.“ The rookie finished 15th in voting for the award, which was won by Boston’s Patrice Bergeron for the second straight year.

The underlying stats back up the votes. In Evolving Hockey’s even-strength defense model, Cates ranked third among forwards behind only Bergeron and Dallas’ Radek Faksa. Cates is almost 14 years younger with 17 fewer seasons under his belt than Bergeron and five years younger with seven fewer seasons than Faksa. The Flyers forward was 6.5 goals better than a replacement player defensively at even strength over the course of the season and finished in the 99th percentile in that category.

Cates’ offense struggled early during his first full NHL season. However, he was also adapting to a new position. Tortorella claimed he moved center Kevin Hayes to wing to jump-start his offense — Cates made the opposite switch. Centers have more responsibilities, and scoring is one area where the Flyers will expect Cates to improve in the future.

Before this season, Cates played 16 NHL games after wrapping up his NCAA career at the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2022. He also represented Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. A fifth-round pick in 2017, Cates initially signed a two-year, $2.275 million deal ($1.1375 million average annual value) on March 27, 2022.

Cates elected for arbitration this summer after his camp and the Flyers could not come to an initial agreement on the terms of his next contract. He was set to be assigned a hearing date between July 20 and Aug. 4, but the two sides were allowed to continue to negotiate in the meantime.

By coming to an agreement, Cates and the Flyers avoided having a third-party arbitrator get involved and any potential conflict that could arise from presenting arguments against each other.

Cates more than doubled his AAV with his new deal, and he also kept the term short. The salary cap could potentially increase in the next several years and Cates’ role is projected to increase with more NHL experience under his belt. By signing a bridge deal, Cates could stand to earn a lot more money after his current two-year contract is up if his play continues on an upward trajectory.

When announcing Cates’ new deal, his agent Ben Hankinson also announced that the center would be wearing a new number. As a rookie, he came in with the No. 49, but he will now wear 27.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.