Two in the same day! The Flyers have made another free agent signing Monday, but this time Paul Holmgren’s gone to the plains of Western Canada, not those familiar college ranks he’s plucked talent from so often over the last several years. The team has signed Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman Matthew Konan to an entry-level contract. It goes into effect starting next season.
Konan, 20, was never drafted by an NHL club and just finished his final Junior season, so unlike the signing of Nick Cousins last week, Konan will be in the professional ranks next year. It’s likely we see him with the Adirondack Phantoms next season, but he still has playoff games to play with the Tigers this season, so it’s unlikely he joins the AHL ranks this season on an amateur tryout contract.
He’s a big defenseman, listed at 6’3, 190 pounds. In the video interview above, Konan compared himself to Chris Pronger — physical when he needs to be, but more reliant on staying calm in the defensive end and making a solid outlet pass. He’s scrapped a bit in the WHL, but it doesn’t appear to be a huge part of his game with just 18 fights in over 300 games played.
