Philadelphia Flyers: Wyatt Kalynuk is now a free agent
The deadline for the Flyers to sign Wyatt Kalynuk has past, making him a free agent.
When Wyatt Kalynuk made the decision to leave college after this past season, that put the Flyers on a deadline. They had 30 days to sign him to a contract before he became a free agent.
Well, that deadline has hit. Kalynuk is now allowed to talk to other teams and choose where he wants to sign. It appears the Flyers are still under consideration, though.
It was originally thought that the Flyers had until August of 2021 to sign Kalynuk. Turned out that wasn’t the case. With the defenseman being a 20-year-old college player, he had the right to inform the NHL Central Registry that he was no longer a bona fide college student. That allowed him to wait 30 days to become a free agent.
Per a source, the Flyers' exclusive negotiation rights with prospect Wyatt Kalynuk expired yesterday. He's now free to speak with and sign with other teams. But the Flyers have been told they're still in consideration. Kalynuk will definitely test the waters, though.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) June 26, 2020
There’s some concern with Kalynuk taking this route. The sense is that he wants to test out the free agent market, but that the Flyers are still under consideration. Right now, there’s nothing to worry about until he makes a decision.
And with the concern on how next season will go, he is likely to take his time in making a decision. Kalynuk is an elite puck-moving defenseman. He also has the offense on his side as well.
His stock has risen throughout hit collegiate career, making him an intriguing player for other teams around the league. He was the go-to guy on the Wisconsin defensemen in all situations.
Kalynuk led the team in assists and was second in points during his junior season with the Badgers. He earned All-Big Ten First Team honors after the season, one of two Wisconsin players to be named.
He led all B1G defensemen in scoring with six goals in the conference. So adding his talent to the Phantoms, to start, would be huge. The Flyers have depth on the backend, but not so much that would prevent Kalynuk from holding a prominent spot on the team.
But no one knows what he’s currently thinking or why he decided to test the free agent market. There’s been nothing on him possibly having any issues with the coaching or management of the Flyers.
Time will tell on what the young defenseman wants to do. But the Flyers would love for him to decide to sign with them.