NHL free agency: Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladar; Tyson Foerster suffers injury; latest updates and rumors
Philly also signed depth center Christian Dvorak and defenseman Noah Juulsen as free agency kicked off Tuesday.
NHL free agency began at noon Philly time. The Flyers didn't waste time, quickly signing goalie Dan Vladar, Christian Dvorak and Noah Jullsen.
The Flyers sent Cam York a qualifying offer, while Jakob Pelletier will become a free agent.
Flyers Q&A: Danny Brière on free agency, the player who needs to take a big step, and more.
The Flyers announced their development camp roster and schedule, headlined by Porter Martone and Jack Nesbitt.
Rangers trade K'Andre Miller to Hurricanes
Speaking of restricted free agents, you can cross K'Andre Miller off the list.
The Rangers defenseman is heading to Carolina as part of a sign and trade. Elliotte Friedman reports that Miller's contract will come in at eight years and $60 million ($7.5m AAV). The Rangers return has not be announced yet.
Flyers' potential pool of restricted free agents dwindling
The projected summer of offer sheets hasn't come to fruition to this point and two other leading candidates are now out of the line of fire.
The New York Rangers have reportedly agreed to a two-year bridge deal with winger Will Cuylle at a $3.9 million AAV. At the same time, the Sabres have locked up RFA center Ryan McLeod to a four-year, $20 million extension.
Gabe Vilardi, Mason McTavish, Bowen Byram are some of the top RFAs still on the board that have been liked with the Flyers.
Ducks sign Mikael Granlund
One of the top forwards on the market, Mikael Granlund, has inked a three-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks. The veteran gets $7 million per season and will slide into a lineup that recently added Chris Kreider and moved on from Trevor Zegras.
The Ducks now have Granlund, Leo Carlsson, Ryan Strome, Mason McTavish, and former Flyer Ryan Poehling down the middle. Granlund could be shifted to the wing as well given his skill set but a huge get nonetheless for Anaheim, who has its sights on making the playoffs next season.
Briere says Flyers remain 'hopeful' on Shabanov
During his press conference on Tuesday, Danny Briere said the Flyers remain "hopeful" on Maxim Shabanov but that they are still waiting on his final decision.
Briere said he gets excited about the proposition of potentially adding Shabanov and that the Flyers have been told they are one of a short list of teams that the player is still considering. The Flyers general manager also said the team does not have timeline for Shabanov's decision but they have talked with his camp today.
Avalanche sign former Flyers defenseman Ronnie Attard
Former Flyer Ronnie Attard has landed in Colorado on a one-year deal. The defenseman has spent most of the past few seasons in the AHL, and was traded to Edmonton last season.
How Drouin signing impacts Flyers' pursuit of Shabanov
The New York Islanders have signed forward Jonathan Drouin to a two-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million.
Signing Drouin could have a knock-on effect for the Flyers, as it could mean the Islanders, a reported finalist, are out of the Maxim Shabanov sweepstakes. The Flyers have been one of the team’s linked with a move for the 5-foot-9 Shabonov, who was the KHL’s third leading scorer last season.
The Flyers and several other teams are still waiting on a final decision from Shabanov and his camp. GM Danny Briere is slated to speak at 4 p.m. and could potentially offer updates on the Russian winger.
James van Riemsdyk headed to Detroit
Former Flyer James van Riemsdyk has found a new home, as he has agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings will be the 36-year-old’s fourth team in four years, after one year stops in Boston and Columbus following his departure from Philly. The veteran remains a useful player and net-front presence, having scored 16 goals last season for the Blue Jackets.
Speaking of the Blue Jackets, former Flyer Ivan Provorov was one of the big winners in free agency. With a dearth of defensemen available, especially after Aaron Ekblad re-signed in Florida, Provorov signed a seven-year extension worth a whopping $8.5 million a year.
Lycksell signs with Sens
Olle Lycksell has been on the fringes in Philly for a few seasons but now will get a much-needed fresh start.
The Swedish forward, who has lit up the AHL the past few seasons with Lehigh Valley but hasn’t been able to break through at the NHL level, has signed a one- year deal with the Ottawa Senators.
Lycksell, who turns 26 next month, has put up 11 points in 45 games for the Flyers over the past three seasons mostly in a bottom-six role. He has had much more success in the American Hockey League, earning All-Star honors last season and racking up 128 points in 134 games there for his career.
Flyers winger Tyson Foerster expected to miss start of the season with arm injury
The hockey gods surely do giveth and taketh.
On Tuesday, as the Flyers made moves in free agency, they were doing so with a clear understanding of what was on the horizon: Flyers winger Tyson Foerster will miss time with an upper-body injury.
Foerster, 23, suffered the arm injury during offseason training in June and could miss significant time at the start of the season. He traveled to Vancouver this week to see a specialist.
Report: Top defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov signs with Rangers
Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladar to two-year deal
The Flyers signed goaltender Dan Vladar to a two-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $3.35 million.
Vladar, who turns 28 next month, spent the last four years with the Calgary Flames organization, and the past season working in tandem with Calder Trophy finalist Dustin Wolf. Last season, he went 12-11-6 with a 2.80 goals-against average and .898 save percentage.
» READ MORE: Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladar, depth center Christian Dvorak shortly after NHL free agency opens
Report: Corey Perry signing with Kings
So much for the Edmonton Oilers making cap space for Corey Perry.
The veteran winger is finalizing a deal to join the Los Angeles Kings, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Flyers sign center Christian Dvorak
The Flyers have signed former Montreal Canadiens center Christian Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4 million deal, the team announced Tuesday.
Dvorak, who played for new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet from 2017-2021 with the Arizona Coyotes, is a center who is expected to slot into the fourth-line hole left by trading Ryan Poehling to Anaheim.
Dvorak spent the past four seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. This past season, he had 12 goals and 33 points in 81 games for the Canadiens.
Noah Juulsen signing with Flyers
Vancouver Canucks defenseman Noah Juulsen has signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the Flyers, the team announced Tuesday.
Juulsen is a 6-foot-2, 201-pound right-shot defenseman who played the past four years in Vancouver, two-plus seasons under new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet.
Jullsen brings size and grit and is someone who could provide depth and potentially slot into the open spot on the right side with Rasmus Ristolainen, who is out for six months after undergoing surgery on a right triceps tendon rupture in late March.
Oilers make cap space to potentially re-sign veteran Corey Perry
Rumors started circulating Tuesday morning that the Flyers were interested in signing veteran winger Corey Perry, the player top draft pick Porter Martone compares his game to.
The thought heading into the day was that the Edmonton Oilers did not have enough cap space to retain the 2007 Stanley Cup champion, who just helped them make back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances.
Shipping out Victor Arvidsson, who has one year left at $4 million, should be enough space to sign Perry as he chases that elusive second Cup.
Jake Allen stays put
The top unrestricted free agent goaltender is off the board before free agency opens, as the New Jersey Devils and Jake Allen have agreed to a contract extension.
Allen, who turns 35 next month had been linked with the Flyers given the team’s need in net, has signed a five-year extension with the deals carrying a $1.8 million average annual value. While the money isn't significant, the Flyers would likely have been reluctant to go with that long of a term.
The veteran posted a .908 save percentage last season with New Jersey and will remain Jacob Markström’s backup with the Devils. Other UFA goalies the Flyers could target include Anton Forsberg and Ilya Samsonov.
Flyers interested in landing Corey Perry?
Could the Flyers make a push to land veteran scorer Corey Perry?
With NHL free agency fast approaching, it's looking the 40-year-old winger will end up becoming a free agent due to the Edmonton Oilers' salary cap issues.
Among the teams reportedly interested in landing Perry are the Flyers, according to Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, though he noted he was "not sure of the likelihood."
Top free-agent targets for the Flyers
No rest for the weary.
Now that the NHL draft has come and gone and the future of the Flyers is here, it’s time to quickly turn the page and begin building for the here and now.
NHL free agency begins Tuesday at noon, and the Rick Tocchet era officially gets underway as general manager Danny Brière begins in earnest to build out his roster. Here are some names The Inquirer thinks the Orange and Black will focus on when free agency begins.
Maxim Shabanov, F: Could the Flyers get the hottest import on July 1? The organization is considered to be in the running for the speedy winger who finished third in the Kontinental Hockey League with 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in 65 games for Traktor Chelyabinsk this season.
Anton Forsberg, G: The Swedish netminder, 32, would come in at a cheaper price than Allen and could be a solid mentor for Ersson while also pushing the Flyers goalie as his direct competition for a spot on Sweden’s Olympic squad.
Pius Suter, C: The Flyers need more depth down the middle, and Suter is a known commodity to Tocchet.
Bowen Byram, D: He is the only restricted free agent on this list, and Philly has been interested in the blueliner for a while. And if the Buffalo Sabres can’t get him inked to a new deal by today, there may be a chance for a team to swoop in and give him an offer sheet.
Adam Gaudette, C: The Flyers need a right-shot center, and Gaudette may just fit the bill in terms of need and cost.
Nick Bjugstad, C: The Flyers got bigger for the future through the draft, but the Utah center is huge at 6-5, 205 pounds.
Curtis Lazar, C: Injuries plagued Lazar this past season, but if the Flyers want a tough, right-shot veteran center for the fourth line who can also kill penalties, this is their guy.
Ryan Lindgren, D: The Flyers will be without rugged defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen for a while as he recovers from surgery, and the 6-foot, 194-pound Lindgren could easily slide into that role.
Cody Ceci, D: The reaction to this one may not be great, but he’s big (6-3), plays more than 20 minutes a night, is a righty and a penalty killer.
Joe Veleno, C: He’s not a right-shot, but Veleno does have some pop and could add some depth to the Flyers.
Tanner Jeannot, LW: Jeannot would add some depth and size (6-2) on the left wing, especially after a Flyers source said they are not giving Jakob Pelletier a qualifying offer.
Nate Schmidt, D: Schmidt could be that veteran guy Brière told The Inquirer he’d like to bring in, akin to Marc Staal and Erik Johnson the last two seasons.
» READ MORE: Top free-agent targets for the Flyers: How would Jake Allen, Bowen Byram, or Maxim Shabanov fit in?
Flyers send Cam York a qualifying offer
The Flyers made a qualifying offer to defenseman Cam York to prevent him from turning into an unrestricted free agent this afternoon. The Flyers will now retain his negotiating rights.
According to Puckpedia, York, 24, was required to receive a qualifying offer of $1.6 million, the same as the two-year contract he signed in July 2023. After a breakout year in 2023-24, he struggled to find his game this past season after sustaining a shoulder injury in late October.
The defenseman who was a Flyers first-round draft pick in 2019 finished with 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) and a plus-minus of minus-8 while playing an average of 20 minutes, 47 seconds across 66 regular-season games.
Jakob Pelletier to become a free agent
While the Flyers made a qualifying offer to Cam York, they declined to make an offer to forward Jakob Pelletier, who now becomes an unrestricted free agent.
Pelletier, 24, who was acquired from the Calgary Flames in late January as part of the deal that sent Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee west, did not receive a qualifying offer. The left winger was due for a slight raise from $800,000 to $840,000, according to Puckpedia.
The Quebec native played in 25 regular-season games for the Flyers, notching eight points (three goals, five assists). However, the numbers are a bit misleading. Under Tortorella, he wasn’t given the best opportunity and had three assists while averaging 9:34 of ice time on the fourth line across 16 games.
Despite turnaround season, Zayde Wisdom didn't receive qualifying offer
Forwards Zayde Wisdom and Elliot Desnoyers played in Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League last season and did not receive qualifying offers. Wisdom and Desnoyers were each due a minimum qualifying offer of $813,750, according to Puckpedia.
Not qualifying Wisdom is a little surprising. The Ontario native, who turns 23 next week, had a turnaround season for the Phantoms. In 2023-24, he had just three points in 49 games for Lehigh Valley.
This season, Wisdom had his best year as a pro, potting 13 goals — including two shorthanded goals and three game-winners — and 32 points in 68 regular-season games. He added another three goals (two shorthanded again) and four points in seven playoff games.
2025 NHL free agency, explained
With the NHL draft in the rear-view mirror, all attention now moves to free agency and who the Flyers might be targeting.
The NHL's free agency period begins Tuesday at noon Philly time, with unrestricted free agents free to sign with teams across the league.
Here's how the NHL breaks down its unrestricted free agents:
Group 3: Player is 27 years or older or has accrued 7+ NHL seasons. The most common type of unrestricted free agent.
Group 6: Player is 25 years or older, has played three or more professional seasons, and has played less than 80 NHL games (28 for goalies).