Flyers roundtable: The latest on Cam York’s contract, and why it might be ‘big-game hunting’ time for Danny Brière
Is York the next restricted free agent to sign? And should Dallas' Jason Robertson be a target for the Flyers?
Things are heating up in Flyers land, as we inch closer to the NHL draft on June 27-28 and the opening of free agency on July 1. With Danny Brière having flexibility and potentially looking to add this offseason, Jackie Spiegel answers some of the biggest offseason questions surrounding the Orange and Black.
Q: The Flyers have taken care of most of their internal business. What’s the latest on Cam York, and do you still envision him returning next season?
A: York is a restricted free agent, and the two sides are hoping to get something hammered out. He is expected to receive a qualifying offer (minimum $1.6 million) from the Flyers, although the figures have not been disclosed. The defenseman does hold the edge with arbitration rights, but numbers-wise, he had a down year.
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Now, were there obvious factors that contributed to it? Absolutely. York had an injured shoulder and a now-fired coach who didn’t hide his disdain. At his introductory press conference, Rick Tocchet spoke about “untapped talent,” and the Flyers believe York is one of those guys. It’ll be interesting to see the length of this deal as the upcoming season could be a make-or-break one for the blueliner. Either way, the expectation is that not only will he be put into good situations, but with a new regime, York will have a chance to play freer than in years past.
Q: Obviously, a lot can change between now and July 1, but is there a player or two out there, either via free agency, trade, or offer sheet, that you’d view as a strong fit for the Flyers to pursue this summer?
A: The free-agent market is not the strongest, but there are options to upgrade the roster for the Flyers. Goaltending was a big issue last season, and while all three are expected to be back in North America, it wouldn’t be shocking if one or both of Aleksei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov are in Lehigh Valley at some point. Joel Hofer is an intriguing guy to give an offer sheet as a complement to Sam Ersson. The St. Louis Blues goalie put up good numbers this season — 2.65 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in 31 games — and wouldn’t cost the Flyers too much financially or in terms of draft compensation.
And then there is Jason Robertson, whom the Dallas Stars are reportedly ready to move on from to clear cap space. He had another “down year,” although his 80 points in each of the last two seasons would have led the Flyers both times, and would upgrade the left side. There is also talk of two-time 20-goal scorer Mason Marchment as a potential acquisition on the left side from Dallas. He’ll play hard and nasty, and the 29-year-old would provide something different to the team’s bottom six.
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Q: What was your biggest takeaway from the NHL scouting combine, and was there a specific player who impressed you either in testing or in your conversation with him?
A: Across the week in Buffalo, and speaking with almost 30 prospects, it was hard not to be impressed by the players. At just 17 or 18 years old, they came across as polished, mature, but also still as kids. It was easy to be impressed by William Horcoff, the son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff, who set a record at the combine with a horizontal jump of 124.8 inches and nearly flew off the board. The friendship of Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund was also amazing to watch, and you almost want an NHL team to take them together like a bonded pair of puppies or kittens.
The Flyers tend to like guys with chips on their shoulders, like we’ve talked about with Alex Bump, and Boston College’s James Hagens has that after he has slipped, albeit not far, after being talked about as the clear No. 1 guy for several years leading into the draft. Barrie Colts defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson would be fun to watch in Flyers colors, as he loves to make open-ice hits, and as mentioned in several articles, Michigan State forward Shane Vansaghi would be a fan favorite here with his gritty style of play.
Q: Let’s finish with a fun one. How do you see the first six picks playing out in the upcoming NHL draft as of publishing time on June 12?
A: 1. Matthew Schaefer; 2. Michael Misa; 3. Anton Frondell; 4. Caleb Desnoyers; 5. Porter Martone; 6. James Hagens to the Flyers.