Even though the NHL Draft comes first, some teams have already begun locking up their free agents. The Flyers are not alone in that, as they re-signed five players to new contracts.
Rodrigo Abols and Oscar Eklind signed one-year extensions in early May. Tyson Foerster was the first big name to sign. He signed a two-year bridge deal at the end of May. Helge Grans, who has the chance to make the Flyers next season, re-signed for two seasons the following day. Lastly, Noah Cates received a significant raise along with a four-year contract.
With a little under $19 million to spend, the Flyers have quite a few free agents left. Not all of them will earn a contract, but there are a few that will have Philadelphia thinking.
NHL Free Agents
Jakob Pelletier (RFA) & Cam York (RFA)
Pelletier was acquired in the deal that sent Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Flames. Although Andrei Kuzmenko was part of the return to Philadelphia, the team felt more excitement about Pelletier and his potential. He had a slow start but came alive toward the end of the season. Once given a chance higher in the lineup and paired with better teammates, his potential really shone. He should return on a fairly inexpensive deal.
York's situation is quite intriguing. After a strong 2023-24 season alongside Travis Sanheim on the top pairing, he struggled to replicate that performance this past year. He was inconsistent at times, sat as a healthy scratch more than once, and had a late-season altercation with John Tortorella. With rumors circulating about Nicolas Hague, the Flyers may be searching for a replacement. But does one down year mean they no longer believe in him? The longer he remains unsigned, the more that question persists.
AHL Free Agents
Givani Smith (UFA), Rhett Gardner (UFA), Olle Lycksell (Group 6 UFA), Louie Belpedio (UFA), Ben Gleason (UFA), Cal Petersen (UFA), Eetu Makiniemi (Group 6 UFA), Zayde Wisdom (RFA), and Elliot Desnoyers (RFA)
Group 6 UFAs can enter unrestricted free agency earlier. They must be 25 years or older when their contract expires. A skater has to have fewer than 80 career NHL games, and a goaltender must have fewer than 28. They must have played in more than three professional seasons. A season is 11 or more games, aged 18-19, and one or more aged 20 or older.
Let's start with the obvious: Cal Petersen will not be back with the Flyers organization. Buried in the AHL for the last two seasons, the team was waiting out the end of his contract. Makiniemi didn't get much of a chance to impress in the AHL due to an injury that knocked him out for most of the season. The Flyers could bring him back to partner up with Carson Bjarnason. That depends on whether Parker Gahagen re-signs with the Phantoms.
Ben Gleason was acquired for Ronnie Attard in November. While he had 14 points in 29 games for the Phantoms, he likely won't be back. If he is, it could be on an AHL deal.
Smith was acquired in the Erik Johnson deal at the deadline. There's a chance they sign him to a cheap deal as insurance. He played just 10 regular games for the Phantoms and appeared in seven postseason games.
Gardner signed as a free agent in 2023, spending most of his time in the AHL. He appeared in one game for the Flyers that season. He's bounced between the NHL and AHL his entire career, never playing more than 28 NHL games in a season. It would not be a surprise to see him move on.
Belpedio signed as a free agent in 2022, making his Flyers debut the following season after signing a two-year extension. He impressed in 12 games, scoring his first career goal and adding four total points. He hasn't been back in the NHL since and could be phased out with the next group of defensive prospects on the way.
Wisdom looked like he was going to be out of the Flyers organization before he turned things around this season. He became one of the Phantoms' most important players, earning the trust of former head coach Ian Laperriere. His recent season should earn him more time in the organization.
Desnoyers has come back down to earth after scoring 23 goals and 44 points in his rookie season with the Phantoms in 2022-23. He even played four games with the Flyers. Since then, Desnoyers has scored 11 goals in 122 AHL games. His lack of progress could lead to his departure from the organization.
The biggest name on the list is Lycksell. He has been back and forth between the NHL and AHL since coming over from the SHL. He hasn't been able to catch on after numerous attempts in Philadelphia. In 45 career games, he has one goal and 11 points. He's consistently been a top performer on the Phantoms, but can't translate it to the NHL.
It's beginning to seem like he's a strong AHL player, but nothing more than that. He was a sixth-round pick in 2017, though he didn't debut until the 2022-23 season. You don't often expect much out of late-round picks, and unfortunately, it looks like the same is true for Lycksell.
Maybe he can carve out a role somewhere else, but his time in Philadelphia should come to an end.