The Philadelphia Flyers have five major free agents in the 2025 offseason, restricted or otherwise: Cam York, Andrei Kuzmenko, Noah Cates, Tyson Foerster, and Jakob Pelletier. In this post, we’ll look at the case for bringing all of them back, and what that might cost on an average annual value (AAV) basis.
Cam York
York is the big one. With a 55.32% expected goal share in top-pairing minutes at 5-on-5, the 24-year-old won’t be settling for another bridge deal—it’s time to pay up.
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An advanced stat like expected goal share is irrelevant without context, so, I’ll provide that here. From my eye test, York has done well in the defensive zone and has been effective at advancing the puck up the ice. Some may see the fact that he has 13 points in 43 games and scoff at a big-money contract, but the truth is that he’s earned it. The team just isn’t the same without this player.
It’s generally a bad idea to give out eight-year deals—an athlete’s prime doesn’t last forever. The good news for the Flyers is that York probably doesn’t have a case to demand a lucrative contract. Six years with a high AAV can work for both the player and the team, especially since his upside may be understated in a John Tortorella system.
Estimated price: six years, $7.45 million AAV
Andrei Kuzmenko
It’ll be fascinating to see how the Flyers approach Kuzmenko. He has one point in one game since being acquired via trade, putting his talent on display rather quickly. He may be 29 years old, but the talent here is undeniable—Kuzmenko, although a winger, is an offensive threat the Orange and Black could find useful.
Related: 4 Philadelphia Flyers With the Most to Prove the Rest of 2024-25
Kuzmenko’s first point as a Flyer was an assist. It was a pass off the wall that started a rush, leading to a puck in the back of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ net. He started another dangerous rush chance this way, but a goal was prevented. Still, he displayed a lot of what makes him extension-worthy in a small sample.
One shot, one goal. Not a bad way to start!#PITvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/VnP8TStKZH
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 9, 2025
If the Flyers worry about their offense moving forward, look no further than giving Kuzmenko a contract. He scored 74 points in his 2022-23 campaign, and he shows why…
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