Michigan State forward Karsen Dorwart takes a shot from the left circle during a game against Notre Dame. (Photo: Nick King, Lansing State Journal)
According to multiple reports, the Philadelphia Flyers are closing in on a contract with Michigan State forward Karsen Dorwart, one of this year's best NCAA free agents.
Dorwart, 22, just finished his third collegiate season with Michigan State, scoring 13 goals, 18 assists, and 31 points in 35 games.
Dorwart's 31 points placed him second on the squad in scoring, trailing only Tampa Bay first-round pick Isaac Howard and his 52 points.
Notably, Dorwart out-produced NHL talents like Charlie Stramel, Minnesota's 2023 first-round pick, and Red Savage, Detroit's 2021 fourth-round pick, who scored 27 and 20 points, respectively.
For an undrafted forward they are getting, effectively, for free, the Flyers could make far worse bets than Dorwart.
On Friday afternoon, Cam Robinson of EliteProspects reported on X that the Flyers were "finalizing" a deal with Dorwart, and that a contract could be completed by the end of the day.
Robinson's report comes on the heels of a previous report from Anthony DiMarco of Daily Faceoff, who also stated that the Flyers were "closing in" on an agreement with the prized 22-year-old prospect.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported earlier in the week on his "32 Thoughts" column that "several teams suspect Philadelphia lusts after [Dorwart] like an Angelo's cheesesteak."
Friedman had added in the column, too, that Dorwart almost signed with the Maple Leafs a year ago. For the Flyers, signing Dorwart is a big win, if and when it happens.
For those unfamiliar with Dorwart, the Sherwood, Ore., native who is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type of forward who profiles similarly to Flyers forward Noah Cates.
Dorwart is always engaged in a play, no matter what end of the ice it's at, and has a propensity for taking over in the offensive zone. Dorwart, like most inexperienced pro players, will need to get faster and stronger, but there is reason to believe he can become a 40- or 50-point player at the NHL level if all goes according to plan.
Cates, for example, was a modest NCAA producer, reaching the 30-point threshold only once, but then going for 38 points in his first full NHL season in 2022-23. Cates is tracking for his second 30-point season this year, and this is including his current stretch of form that's seen him score one point, an assist, in his last 10 games.
Dorwart is a player Flyers fans can and should be excited about, but expectations should be tempered, especially early on.
Once signed, the 6-foot-1 center will join a budding group of NCAA standouts in Philadelphia that includes NCHC Forward of the Year Alex Bump and NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year Ty Murchison.
