Flyers’ Roster Coming Together After Big RW Signs 2-Year Deal

For better or worse, the Philadelphia Flyers‘ roster is coming together.

They signed another of their restricted free agents Friday, 23-year-old right winger Owen Tippett, to a two-year deal that has an annual $1.5 million cap hit.

From the Flyers’ perspective, the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Tippett was the centerpiece in their March deal that sent Claude Giroux and two minor-leaguers to Florida.  The Flyers also received Florida’s first-round pick in 2024 and a third-rounder in 2023.  In addition to Giroux, the Panthers got Connor Bunnaman, German Rubtsov, and a fifth-round selection in 2024.

Giroux was superb with the Panthers, but they lost to Tampa Bay in the conference semifinals. After the season, Giroux signed with his hometown Ottawa Senators.

So the trade will turn out to be great for Philly if Tippett develops.

Glimpse of promise

Tippett was selected in the first round (10th overall) by Florida in the 2017 draft. The power forward had seven points (four goals, three assists) in 21 games with the Flyers after being acquired at the March 19 trade deadline.

All told, he had 10 goals and 21 points in 63 combined games last season with the Flyers and Panthers.

When he made the trade, Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said it was important to get a young player instead of another draft pick.

“It meant a lot of us because he was a first-round pick and he’s developed now,” Fletcher said at the time. “He’s developed in the American League, he’s developed in junior, and time will tell what that means for the NHL. But he’s ready to play.”

Tippett will probably be on the third line with Morgan Frost and Noah Cates, but that will be determined in training camp, which starts Sept. 21.

The Flyers now have $84.1 million committed to 22 players,and are $1.6 million over the $82.5 million cap, per CapFriendly.  Teams can exceed the cap by 10 percent in the summer.