The Philadelphia Flyers are entering another important offseason, but perhaps the most pressing things on Danny Briere’s to-do list are in-house.
The Flyers have a pair of key restricted free agents this summer in Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras.
Drysdale has become a key cog on the Flyers’ blue line after being acquired in the Cutter Gauthier trade in 2024. He’s made massive improvements over the last few years on both ends of the ice and is only going to get better.
Zegras has also found a home in Philadelphia. The change of scenery proved to be a boon for the forward, who rejuvenated his career in his first year with the Flyers while fully embracing the city.
Both players are due for pay raises this summer after strong seasons that helped the Flyers return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020. They each just played their final years of a three-year contract signed in Anaheim, with Drysdale at a low cap hit of $2.3 million, and Zegras at $5.75M.
There is no question that the players want to return to Philadelphia, and the Flyers undoubtedly want to get them under contract for the foreseeable future. But what could their next contracts look like?
Jamie Drysdale due for massive pay raise as RFA
Drysdale is likely to see his previous salary of $2.3M more than double on his next contract. With the salary cap rising, we’re going to see bigger contracts handed out compared to what we’re used to over the last decade-plus in the NHL.
The defenseman could opt to bet on himself with a shorter-term deal or secure his future with a long-term pact to stay in Philadelphia.
Evolving-Hockey’s contract projections take into account all of that. They look at what a player could sign for depending on the length of the contract.
They project that Drysdale is most likely to sign a five-year deal (23%), with three years (22%) and seven years (17%) as distinct possibilities as well. Their most likely projection is a five-year deal with a cap hit of 6.15M. They have a three-year deal carrying a $5.27M cap hit, and a seven-year deal up at $6.79M.
AFP Analytics offers similar projections, although a bit less detailed. They project a long-term option of six years at $7.29M for the defenseman, or a one-year deal at a $5.32M. Interestingly, EH’s one-year contract projection is for a salary of just $3.49M.
Either way, Drysdale is looking at a big pay raise this offseason. Given the Flyers’ cap situation on the blue line, they can afford to try to lock up the defenseman for as long as possible. They have Travis Sanheim at a $6.25M cap hit through 2031, and Cam York at $5.15M through 2030. Both of those deals could look like steals with the rising salary cap. It also helps that they have a few guys like Oliver Bonk who will be on their entry-level contracts for the next few years.
Trevor Zegras projected to sign long-term extension with Flyers
For as important as signing Drysdale is, locking up Zegras may be even more crucial for Briere and the Flyers. He played center for the final portion of the season and is more valuable down the middle for a team with a glut of wingers on the NHL roster and in the pipeline.
Evolving-Hockey projects Zegras to sign a longer-term deal to remain in Philadelphia through the prime of his career.
The most likely contract length is four years (23%), with five years (19%) and a maximum eight years (19%) also as solid options for the Flyers.
A four- or five-year deal would carry a cap hit of $7.5M or $7.9M, per EH, with an eight-year deal at a $9.65M AAV.
As for AFP Analytics’ projections, they also view a five-year deal as the long-term likelihood for Zegras, with a one-year pact being the short-term option. They have a five-year deal carrying a cap hit of $8.2M, and a one-year deal at $5.8M.
The Flyers already have a handful of forwards locked up through 2029 or beyond.
Travis Konecny’s $8.75M cap hit runs through 2033, with Owen Tippett’s the next longest at $6.2M through 2032. Christian Dvorak signed a five-year extension with a cap hit of $5.15M through 2031, and Sean Couturier is owed $7.75M through 2030. Then there is Noah Cates, whose $4M cap hit through 2029 might be the best of the bunch.
The Flyers will also be able to take advantage of their youth at forward, with the likes of Matvei Michkov, Porter Martone, Alex Bump, and Denver Barkey on their entry-level contracts for the next few years. Even Tyson Foerster has one more year at $3.75M before he’s due a new contract as a restricted free agent.
