Philadelphia Flyers Offseason Cheat Sheet

The Philadelphia Flyers did their locker room clean out and exit interviews the last few days, and offered a number of hints about the offseason.

The NHL playoffs are the clear high point of the season. Teams make their playoffs push, and it’s all systems go for the playoffs. Everything is on the line, and everyone is watching. Then all of a sudden, it’s over.

The Philadelphia Flyers went from playing tense games in the national spotlight, to an empty locker room in the course of a few days. Usually this is where players and managers open up a bit about injures and offseason plans, and this season was no different. The Philadelphia Flyers revealed a number of nuggets about the offseason, a rundown of which follows.

Injuries

• Jakub Voracek admitted that his foot never really healed, but wouldn’t blame it for scoring only one point in the playoffs. He does not need surgery, however.
• Claude Giroux was not owning up to any injuries affecting his play in the playoffs.
• Sean Couturier had a grade 2-3 shoulder separation, but may have tried to play in a Game 7 had the Flyers made it that far.
• Michal Neuvirth wants to play in World Championships, but may not get medical clearance to do so.
• The Flyers have yet to release their full offseason surgery list, which will answer more questions about injuries.

Staying

• Brayden Schenn had a breakout year, and Schenn wants a long term deal. This signing is near the top of Hextall’s to-do list.
• The Flyers are also interested in signing Radko Gudas to a long-term deal. He had a great season, but he has yet to prove he can sustain this level of influential play.
• There is mutual interest in re-signing between Ryan White and the Philadelphia Flyers.
• The Flyers will almost certainly make a qualifying offer to Nick Cousins, and may ultimately agree to a short-term deal for him.
• The Flyers will likely keep both of their capable goalies, unless something great falls into their lap.

Going

• Don’t expect to see Evgeny Medvedev re-signed. He was also detained for a DUI late Tuesday night.
• Sam Gagner is unlikely to return. Gagner was in and out of the lineup this season, including a brief trip to the AHL, but was a solid contributor down the stretch and in the playoffs.
• RJ Umberger, a healthy scratch down the stretch, expects to be bought out. Buying Umberger out would say the Flyers $3 million of their cap next season, but would cost them $1.5 million on the cap the following year.

Projects

• Hextall is considering an appeal of Brayden Schenn’s 3-game suspension, stating that he feels it was surprising and disappointing.  We agree.
• Many expect that both Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny will join the Flyers next season. Both players have little to gain from another year in the WHL, but are not eligible to join the Phantoms in the AHL. Still, “[Hextall] likes his prospects well-cooked, not raw.”
• Hextall stated that goal scoring and playmaking upfront is their biggest offseason need. Prospect Travis Konecny could help on the playmaking front, but they don’t have much size up front and their puck movement is often slow and indecisive.