Noah Cates excited for Flyers to take step forward with Rick Tocchet

The Philadelphia Flyers centerman, with his brand new contract, expressed how excited he is for the team to take a step forward with a new head coach.

Philadelphia Flyers center Noah Cates says he’s looking forward to the coming season with a new head coach in Rick Tocchet and some added security, now that he has signed a four-year, $16 million deal.

The center, and arguably one of the most consistent Flyers last season, says the contract was inviting for a few reasons. Mainly, that he could have enjoyed the experience of heading into unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2026, with every team available to give him a call, but the term and dollars were perfectly fine for him to stay in Philadelphia.

“It’s super exciting I think to get to free agency, but having that security and knowing I’ll be able to play for the next four years, having a bit of a runway with where we want to go and where we want to be, it’s super exciting,” Cates said during Wednesday’s media availability. “It’s a great contract and I’m super excited for it.”

Cates had a bounce back year last season, scoring 16 goals and adding 21 assists in 78 games. Centering a line with Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink most of the season, Cates was one of the more effective (and underrated) two-way players this season. The forward says he was proud of his perseverance after a trying 2023-24 season which saw him getting 18 points in only 59 games. He also had a bit of a tough time getting into the lineup to start this season, being a healthy scratch most of the opening West Coast trip before finding his footing.

“Starting the season off getting scratched and not where I wanted to be after last season, and starting this season, I just keep my head down and find my game and find the effective way that I could play,” Cates said. “Do it consistently and do it for most of the season was great. Obviously it set me up for this contract and the future and being a part of this. I’m super happy with how I just stuck to it and believed in myself. It turned out for me to have a good year, and I get this nice contract.”

As far as any conversations Cates has had with new Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, Cates said he’s only touched base with him briefly which was more of an introduction than anything else.

“He sounded like an energetic guy,” Cates said. “I’m super excited to have him and really excited to work with him. One of the biggest things that comes with adding a coach is turning the page here with the team and taking a step forward.”

Although the Flyers and Cates’s older brother Jackson didn’t have as long a relationship, the younger Cates said he never took anything for granted going back to his collegiate days with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

“For me to come in and prove what I can do and earn a couple of nice contracts and this one with some nice term and some good money I never expected that when I was in college, just trying to make it to the NHL and play a game in the NHL,” Cates said. “I’m super proud of the steps I’ve taken from college to pro to the rookie year and having a tough year with injuries and adversity, coming through it last year and showing what I can do. It’s only been three years but I feel like I’ve been through a lot. I know what I am and I know what I can bring to a team and to an amazing organization like the Flyers.”

With Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster now signed to new contracts, the only other big piece of business the Flyers must do regarding a restricted free agent (aside from Jakob Pelletier) is securing Cam York. York completed his two-year, $3.2 million deal this past season. It’s unclear if the two sides are far apart on a contract or are close to hammering out a new extension.