As the Flyers await word on whether the Anaheim Ducks will match the offer sheet they tendered to center Leo Carlsson, two of the organization’s four restricted free agents filed for salary arbitration.
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On Sunday, Jamie Drysdale and forward Trevor Zegras opted for salary arbitration and, therefore, cannot be tendered an offer sheet by another NHL team.
The hearings are scheduled between July 20 and Aug. 1, and the team and player can still negotiate a deal until the hearing begins. If it does go to the arbitrator, they can only award a one- or two-year contract. Because it was a player’s choice, the Flyers will select the term length. If the Flyers select a two-year contract, the player would walk to unrestricted free agency, but if it is for one year, the player would be a restricted free agent next summer.
Zegras said he felt like he “had lost a little bit of that drive and passion to win” in Anaheim and felt rejuvenated this past year. He did have a career year, notching highs in goals (26), points (67), power-play goals (10), and power-play points (23) across 81 games. The New York native spent time on the wing and at center this season. How he is viewed, whether as a winger or a center by either side, impacts contract negotiations because, typically, centers are paid more.
At his end-of-season availability, Drysdale said the biggest step he took this year was “just coming to the rink and believing that I was a good player and could make an impact.” The blueliner played in 78 games, his highest total since he played 81 in 2021-22, had a career-high in goals (eight), and tied his career-high in points (32).
Both got their first taste of the postseason, with Drysdale scoring two goals and four points, and Zegras adding four goals and six points in 10 games apiece.
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Defenseman Hunter McDonald is a restricted free agent and did not elect salary arbitration by the 5 p.m. deadline. Forward Nikita Grebenkin, the final RFA for the Flyers, was not eligible.
Zegras and Drysdale are two of 15 players to elect salary arbitration. The others are forwards Xavier Bourgault (Ottawa Senators), Kirby Dach (Montreal Canadiens), Alex Jefferies (New York Islanders), Peyton Krebs (Buffalo Sabres), Connor McMichael (St. Louis Blues), Cole Perfetti (Winnipeg Jets), Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars), Nick Robertson (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Cole Sillinger (Columbus Blue Jackets); goalies Jet Greaves (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Akira Schmid (Florida Panthers); and defensemen Braden Schneider (New York Rangers) and Ronan Seeley (Carolina Hurricanes).
On Friday, the Flyers sent shockwaves through the hockey world by tendering a five-year offer sheet with an average annual value of $18 million to Carlsson, which would make him the highest-paid player in terms of AAV in the NHL.
According to a league source, it is front-loaded with heavy signing bonuses.
GM Pat Verbeek and the Ducks have seven days to match the offer. If they don’t, according to the team’s press release, the Flyers would have to transfer their own first-round draft pick in each of the next four seasons as compensation. However, according to PuckPedia, it is four in the next five years.
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