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.
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.
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.
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 that happened every so often. Possible chemistry with Matvei Michkov, too, is a reason to keep the veteran around. A long-term deal wouldn’t make sense, but a “prove-it” one might. It may help him get back on his feet after a largely disappointing past two seasons.
Estimated price: one year, $4.5 million AAV
Noah Cates
In theory, Cates is a replacement for Scott Laughton. A quality third-line center who is still just 26 years old, bringing him back can be relatively inexpensive and also shore up the bottom six. He’s not as flashy as either York or Kuzmenko, but he’s someone who can get the job done.
Cates is on pace for 34 points if he plays all 82 games this season, but that’s not the main reason to bring him back. He has a 55.05% expected goal share over his past two campaigns, which is more notable. He’s helping the Flyers win their depth minutes—you’ll take that for the price tag below.
Estimated price: four years, $4 million AAV
Tyson Foerster
After being a first-line winger for significant stretches last season, Foerster has been more of a middle-six guy in 2024-25. The 23-year-old sophomore has 15 goals and 10 assists in 56 games this season, set to beat the 20 goals and 13 assists he put up as a rookie.
Over a full 82-game season, Foerster would be on pace for 37 points. When they were also 23 years old, both Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee had more than that—his production is solid, but not spectacular. While he has some good traits and a knack for scoring goals in bunches, Foerster’s scoring rate hasn’t indicated he’s a future top-six staple of any kind. He needs a contract reflecting that.
It’s important to put Foerster’s production in perspective. He hasn’t earned a long-term deal, but a sizable increase from his entry-level salary is still warranted.
Estimated price: two years, $3.5 million AAV
Jakob Pelletier
He was acquired back in January with Kuzmenko, and he has still not made his Flyers debut. But we can be pretty certain that Pelletier is coming back. That said, what should his expectations be?
Drafted in the first round in 2019, the 23-year-old Pelletier hasn’t had a full-time role in the NHL yet. However, he showed he deserved one in a 24-game stint with the Calgary Flames this season, putting up 11 points over 24 games. Diving into that total a bit deeper, his 2.51 points per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 alone is quite good—Travis Konecny leads the Flyers in this department at 2.01, for reference.
Pelletier’s 5-on-5 scoring pace is likely not sustainable, but it does show that he’s capable of hanging at the NHL level. While he’s more of a bottom-six player at this stage, he could become a future middle-six forward in Philadelphia. At 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, he’ll want to show that his size doesn’t define him as a player.
Estimated price: two years, $1.6 million AAV
As the Flyers transition from a rebuilding club to a contending one, it’s essential to think about finances. With a rising salary cap, though, they can afford to bring back all of their five key 2025 free agents.
