NHL free agency news: Flyers extend Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, add depth forwards; big names on the move
In addition to Valdař and Foerster, the team is likely to re-sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale. They also added fourth-line center Noel Acciari.
NHL free agency officially opened at noon on Wednesday, meaning the Flyers could begin signing free agents from other teams. Here's everything you need to know.
The Flyers quickly inked goalie Dan Vladař to a longterm extension, worth $27.5 million over five years.
Tyson Foerster signed a massive eight-year extension with the Flyers at an average annual value of $7.1 million.
They also agreed to a two-year deal with Noel Acciari, who is expected to be their fourth-line center.
Before those deals, the Flyers had about $32.7 million in cap space, a number that will drop to around $17 million if the team re-signs Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale as expected.
Defenseman John Carlson and center Dylan Larkin remain among the list of top trade targets for the Flyers.
Flyers lock down Tyson Foerster with eight-year extension
It’s been a rollercoaster start to his career, but Tyson Foerster’s feet are firmly planted in Philly.
On Wednesday, the 24-year-old winger inked an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $7.1 million. According to league sources, it has limited trade protection in Years 3-8, but it does not feature a no-move clause. The contract will start after next season, when Foerster was scheduled to become a restricted free agent.
“We’re excited to have Tyson be a key part of our long-term future,” general manager Danny Brière said in the team’s press release. “He has established himself as an important piece of the foundation we’re building here. Since coming up through our system, he’s continued to improve and develop every step of the way into a consistent offensive contributor while also being a trusted and reliable 200-foot player.
Zach Werenski staying in Columbus despite trade speculation
After weeks of speculation and a vetoed trade to Dallas, Zach Werenski is staying in Columbus after all.
The Blue Jackets and Werenski released statements Wednesday saying that Werenski wants to stay in Columbus and maintains his desire to win there. The statement including the following:
"The past two seasons have been very challenging ones, but also ones of growth for our team. Our goals from ownership on down and Zach's goals are the same ... to win a Stanley Cup. Our city and our fans deserve nothing less and we are all on the same page working towards that end. Zach has been a very important part of this organization and our community for a long time, and we couldn't be happier that he will continue to be moving forward."
Senators sign two more Phantoms players
After signing former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson earlier on Wednesday, the Ottawa Senators have signed two former Flyers farmhands in defenseman Christian Kyrou and center Philip Tomasino.
Kyrou and Tomasino were both in-season additions for the Phantoms and both put up strong numbers in the AHL. The Flyers did not qualify either player by Monday's deadline.
Flyers add more AHL depth with Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen
In addition to Zach Aston-Reese and Danila Klimovich, the Flyers announced they have signed AHLers Jack Studnicka and Cam Dineen as they look to fill out their roster in Lehigh Valley.
Studnicka, 27, has bounced back and forth between the NHL and AHL with Boston, Vancouver, San Jose, and last year in Florida. He had 30 points for the Charlotte Checkers last year in 41 games and was held pointless in 19 games with the Panthers. The forward has just 16 points in 126 NHL games but has been a productive American leaguer throughout his career.
The last name Dineen may ring a bell in Philly, but Cam is not related to former Flyers captain Kevin Dineen or Kevin's father, and former Flyers coach, Bill Dineen. The younger Dineen is 28-year-old defenseman and a native of Toms River, N.J. A former third-round pick, he has played almost 400 games in the AHL.
Flyers make Grundström deal official
Reports: Darnell Nurse headed to San Jose
After weeks of twists and turns, the Darnell Nurse saga has come to a conclusion that will not see him follow in his uncle Donovan McNabb's footsteps in Philly.
Nurse, who beat the Oilers to the punch by demanding a trade this summer, is headed to San Jose in a trade that will see defensive defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin go the other way. In the end, the Oilers, somewhat miraculously, did not have to retain any of Nurse’s $9.25 million salary.
The Inquirer reported a few weeks back that there was mutual interest between Nurse and the Flyers, but only if the Oilers retained some of Nurse’s salary. In the end, the Oilers found a dance party and the Flyers rightfully walked away from the negotiating table for the 31-year-old blueliner.
Former Flyer Andrei Kuzmenko signs with Pens
Darnell Nurse could expand his trade list
The Flyers have been confirmed as one of three teams rugged defenseman Darnell Nurse would be willing to accept a trade to. But that list could soon grow. With Edmonton yet to find a deal, Sportsnet reports that Nurse could add teams to his list, with San Jose mentioned by Elliotte Friedman.
One potential hang-up with Nurse is salary retention, as the Flyers likely would want Edmonton to pay at least 25-30% of Nurse's $9.25 million cap hit. That would bring Nurse down to a much more manageable $6.5-7 million player, and make him a more attractive proposition as a second-pair guy. The Flyers also could be waiting things out on the blue line, as they are reportedly still in the mix for Zach Werenski and John Carlsson, and also have a decision to make with Rasmus Ristolainen.
Nurse, 31, is a left-shot who brings toughness and shot suppression to a team's back end. He also happens to be the nephew of former Eagles QB Donovan McNabb.
Flyers add more depth with forward Zach Aston-Reese
The Flyers continued to add organizational depth Wednesday with the signing of NHL veteran Zach Aston-Reese. Aston-Reese’s deal is a two-year one-way/two-way deal, which will see the NHL vet make $850,000 this season.
Best known for his time with the Penguins, the veteran forward has compiled 49 goals and 102 points in 416 career NHL games. The 31-year-old split last season between the Columbus Blue Jackets and their AHL team in Cleveland, tallying five points in 27 NHL games and another 16 points in 27 AHL contests. Aston-Reese, who can play center or wing. will be expected to compete for an NHL spot in training camp, but seems more likely to be ticketed for an AHL job.
Blackhawks give Bowen Byram highest AAV for a defenseman ever
Toronto reportedly lands Sergei Bobrovsky
Former Flyer Scott Laughton reportedly returning to Kings
Phantoms' point leader Lane Pederson heads to L.A.
Flyers farmhand Lane Pederson has found a new home in Los Angeles.
Pederson, who had 23 goals and 48 points to lead the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season, got into five games with the Flyers last season. The first year of Pederson's deal has a two-way option, but it converts to a one-way in Year 2.
Klimovich signing one-year, two-way deal
Former Flyer Luke Schenn going back to Toronto
Former Flyer Luke Schenn is on the move again, as the rugged defenseman is signing with the Vancouver Canucks.
Schenn, 36, played in Philadelphia from 2012-16. The well-traveled defenseman, who has played for 10 NHL teams, will return to Vancouver for the second time.
Stuart Skinner heading to Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Jets have signed former Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract.
The move could spell the end for four-time Vezina Trophy winner and U.S. Olympic hero Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg. Rumors have been swirling that Hellebuyck wants out and that Buffalo and Carolina could be potential landing spots.
Flyers reportedly adding winger Danila Klimovich
The Fourth Period reports the Flyers are signing winger Danila Klimovich.
Klimovich, 23, is probably an organizational depth move, as he seems likely to begin the season the Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. The former second-round pick has spent the past five seasons in the Vancouver Canucks organization, playing with AHL affiliate, Abbotsford.
The Belarusian forward had 18 goals and 34 points last season in the AHL, a year after he scored 25 times and helped Abbotsford win the Calder Cup. Klimovich's time in Vancouver would have overlapped with Flyers coach Rick Tocchet and assistant Yogi Svejkovský.
Report: Flyers to sign center Noel Acciari
The Flyers look to have found their new fourth-line center, as Sportsnet reports they have agreed to a two-year contract with Noel Acciari that carries a $2.8 million cap hit.
Acciari, 34, had 13 goals, 25 points, and an impressive plus-14 rating in 67 games this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers, winning 61% of his faceoffs. Known for his face-off ability, nastiness, and penalty killing, Acciari will likely take the spot vacated by Luke Glendening.
In 585 career games with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Penguins, Acciari has 81 goals and 144 points.
Noah Juulsen heads to Colorado
Defenseman Noah Juulsen, who along with Emil Andrae spent most of last season swapping in and out on the third pair, is headed to Colorado. Jackie Spiegel previously reported that he wouldn't return to the Flyers, but it appears he's found a landing spot.
Two potential Flyers targets go off the board
Fourth-line tough guy Jeffrey Viel looks to be heading to Tampa Bay, reports Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period.
He was a name The Inquirer considered as a Garnet Hathaway replacement.
Ross Johnston, another depth forward, also inked a deal elsewhere Wednesday, signing a three-year contract with the Blues.
Reports: Flyers in the mix for Hurricanes' John Carlson
Sam Ersson inks new deal
Former Flyers goalie Sam Ersson, who was traded twice this offseason, can finally unpack his bags.
Ersson has signed a two-year, $2.2 million contract with the Ottawa Senators, according to Sportsnet. The 26-year-old is expected to back up fellow Swede Linus Ullmark in Ottawa. The Flyers traded Ersson last month alongside Emil Andrae to Toronto in a deal to acquire Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit. The restricted free agent's negotiating rights were then traded to Ottawa on June 26 for a fifth-round pick.
A look at what else is happening around the NHL
In addition to long-term deals for Dan Vladař and Tyson Foerster, contracts and extensions are rolling in across the league. Here’s a look at what has happened so far:
Former Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas is reportedly signing a six-year contract with the Florida Panthers with an average annual value of $1.5 million. Gudas, whose rights were acquired from Anaheim this week, is the latest veteran Panther to receive one of those stretched out contracts.
The Panthers also have locked up middle-six winger Eetu Luostarinen to an eight-year, $40 million extension ($5 million AAV).
Buffalo has reportedly signed newly-acquired smooth-skating defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9 million deal ($3 million AAV). The restricted free agent was someone we mentioned as a potential fit for the Flyers entering the summer.
Montreal locks up budding superstar Ivan Demidov to an eight-year contract with an AAV of $9.125 million.
New Jersey has locked in captain Nico Hischier to a massive five-year contract. The Swiss international, who was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 Nolan Patrick draft, is one of the league’s top defensive forwards and now will make $11.7 million-a-year beginning in the 2027-27 season.
Los Angeles has been busy as they have reportedly agreed to deals with veteran forwards Erik Haula (two-year, $3.6 million) and Mats Zuccarello (one-year, $1 million).
Flyers, Dan Vladař agree to contract extension
Last July 1, the Flyers surprised many by signing Dan Vladař to a two-year, $6.7 million contract. Vladař then went out and surprised many with his play.
One year later, Vladař is sticking around for the foreseeable future. According to a league source, he is signing a five-year, $27.5 million contract extension with an annual average value of $5.5 million. The contract comes with a no-trade clause for the first two years, followed by a no-movement clause for the remaining three years, with it dwindling from 15 teams to five. Vladař’s contract won’t kick in until the 2027-28 season and will take him through his age 34 season.
The writing had been on the wall for some time that this was happening. Asked about the rumors of an extension, Vladař joked at his end-of-season availability that, while he would accept the phone call for the extension, “If you can ask the same question to Danny Brière, I’m going to be watching. So we’ll see what he says."
What to expect from Flyers on Day 1
A Claude Giroux reunion in Philly?
With Mavrik Bourque off the board, could the Flyers pivot to a familiar face?
Pierre LeBrun reports that the Flyers have interest in bringing back former captain Claude Giroux.
Giroux, 38, has played the last four seasons for the hometown Ottawa Senators. The Flyers traded Giroux in March of 2022 for a package that included Owen Tippett and a first-round pick.
Report: Mavrik Bourque heading to Nashville
The Flyers were reportedly in the mix for Dallas Stars forward Mavrik Bourque but ultimately lost out to the Nashville Predators. The Preds paid a modest price of second- and third-round picks for the 24-year-old Bourque, who had 20 goals last season. They also took on the final year of defenseman Ilya Lyubuskin’s deal in the trade, which was reportedly a deal-breaker for the Flyers. The Preds will now need to extend Bourque who is a restricted free agent.
For a player of Bourque’s age and upside, one year of eating $3.25 million owed to Lyubushkin doesn’t seem like the end of the world. We’ll see where the Flyers go from here in search of a center.
Mavrik Bourque trade rumors heating up
Dallas' Mavrik Bourque has been viewed by many around the league as a prime offer-sheet target given Dallas is big-game hunting and has limited cap flexibility.
The threat of that could also lead to a trade, something we suggested in our recent Flyers target list. It sounds like that could be the case, as the Fourth Period is reporting there is some traction on a Bourque trade.
Bourque, who has played mostly wing in the NHL but is a natural center, is coming off a 20-goal season and is a restricted free agent. At 24, and with runway to grow, we wouldn't be surprised to see the Flyers get involved here.
» READ MORE: 12 players the Flyers could target to upgrade their roster via trade, free agency, or an offer sheet
Are the Flyers in on Zach Werenski?
Amid a wild offseason marked by trade demands and the dawning of the player empowerment era in the NHL, Norris Trophy-winner Zach Werenski is viewed by many as the ultimate prize.
You can count the Flyers among that group, as according to multiple reports, Danny Brière and Co. are serious about getting involved in the sweepstakes for Columbus’ wantaway defenseman. It’s hard to blame them, as Werenski has averaged 23 goals and 82 points over the past two seasons, ranking in the top three among defensemen in both categories.
The big questions with Werenski are would he entertain a move to Philly and whether the Flyers could pull off a deal without including Porter Martone or Matvei Michkov? The first question seems to be the sticking point, as Werenski, who has a no-move clause, turned down a move to Dallas on Tuesday and seems to be zeroing in on a few specific Eastern Conference destinations, including Tampa Bay and Toronto.
Longterm Dan Vladař extension expected once free agency opens
All signs are pointing to Dan Vladař signing a five-year extension with an AAV of $5.5 million once deals can officially be announced at noon.
The Czech goalie, who signed a two-year, $6.7 million deal with the Flyers last summer, is coming off a season where he went 29-14-7, with a 2.42 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. It was the lowest GAA of his career and tied his career-best save percentage, although he played in 22 more games than in any prior season.
He was even better in the postseason with a 2.18 GAA, .922 save percentage, and two shutouts after not posting one in the regular season.
These are the Flyers' top options via free agency or trade
John Carlson, on a big-money, short-term deal, would make a lot of sense for the Flyers to help with the power play. But do the Flyers make sense for him? He’ll turn 37 during the season, and time is ticking on his chances of winning another Stanley Cup.
Rumors are percolating that the Flyers could add Noel Acciari to the roster. A 5-foot-11 center who just played against the Flyers in the playoffs with the Penguins — he had one assist in the six games — the Rhode Island native would slot onto the fourth line and be a key piece in the faceoff dot as a coveted right-shot, as well as on the penalty kill. Fellow bottom-six center Teddy Blueger is also another name to keep an eye on, as he played for coach Rick Tocchet in Vancouver.
What about offer sheets/trade targets?
How much salary cap space do the Flyers have?
According to Puckpedia, as of Wednesday, the Flyers have just over $32.68 million of cap space before signing their four restricted free agents. The expectation is that Hunter McDonald will be in the minors to start the year, and Nikita Grebenkin, who was skating on Tuesday at development camp, is working his way back from an injury.
Not counting Grebenkin’s deal, the expected cap space to sign Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale should come in at an approximate annual average value of $15 million combined. That leaves about $17 million, and then subtract $3-4 million to cover Grebenkin and McDonald. So there is some room left to add pieces to the lineup.
Flyers free agents include Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale
According to a league source on Tuesday, the Flyers have agreed to sign pending unrestricted free agent forward Carl Grundström to a one-year, $1 million contract. It comes one day after they handed out qualifying offers to four players and released six more to unrestricted free-agent status.
Here is a breakdown of who the Flyers need to and could re-sign from the system.
NHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Rodrigo Ābols and Luke Glendening; defenseman Noah Juulsen
NHL restricted free agents: forwards Nikita Grebenkin and Trevor Zegras; defenseman Jamie Drysdale
AHL restricted free agents: defenseman Hunter McDonald
AHL unrestricted free agents: forwards Karsen Dorwart, Oscar Eklind, Brett Harrison, Boris Katchouk, Lane Pederson, Anthony Richard, Tucker Robertson, and Philip Tomasino; defensemen Adam Ginning, Maxence Guenette, Artem Guryev, and Christian Kyrou
Dorwart, Harrison, Robertson, Tomasino, Guryev, and Kyrou were not given qualifying offers on Monday. They could all be signed to a new deal or an AHL-only deal to stay with the club. Garrett Wilson is listed as an unrestricted free agent on Puckpedia, but he is signed to an AHL contract for next season.