Faber, Guhle Contracts Set Benchmarks for Pair of Flyers Defensemen

Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle each signed sizable contract extensions with their respective clubs in the last few days. That should send a message to young Philadelphia Flyers blueliners Jamie Drysdale and Cam York.

York, 23, is already eligible to sign a contract extension with the Flyers as of July 1 and appears to be headed into the last year of a two-year, $3.2 million bridge deal without one. Of course, that could change at any time during the year, but the Flyers are more than willing to let the Anaheim, California, native to earn his keep for another season.

Such a decision comes with the risk that York earns himself even more money to the detriment of the Flyers; perhaps a Faber-sized chunk of change.

Faber signed an eight-year, $68 million extension with Minnesota on Monday, securing himself an $8.5 million AAV deal that starts in 2025-26 and runs through 2032-33, when Faber turns 30. And if he ages well, the 21-year-old can parlay that contract into one last lucrative payday that lasts him through the twilight years of his NHL career.

Now, it’s unlikely that York plays himself into the Flyers forking over $8.5 million annually to keep him–he’d need a big jump offensively to do that. York did score 10 goals, 20 assists, and 30 points in a top-pairing role last season, but Faber was able to rack up 47 points of his own in addition to finishing as the runner-up to Connor Bedard in the Calder Trophy voting.

But if York wants it, there’s money to be had. Faber is proof.

As for Drysdale, the Flyers have a lot invested in him as well. Although he arrived in Philadelphia alongside a 2025 second-round pick, many see Drysdale as the Flyers’ only return from the Anaheim Ducks in the Cutter Gauthier trade. If that situation zigged instead of zagged, Gauthier is probably playing in the NHL alongside Matvei Michkov this year, but who knows how or why things turned out the way they did?

Indeed, Drysdale is not currently a free agent or eligible for a contract extension but, in reality, he’s playing for one this year.

The 22-year-old will be able to sign an extension with the Flyers on July 1, 2025, and has all the talent in the world to make one a reality. But saying it and doing it are two different things.

Drysdale is now heading into his fifth NHL season but still needs to prove he belongs in a variety of ways. First and foremost is the ability to stay healthy; Drysdale played 81 regular season games for the Ducks in 2021-22 but has failed to play more than 34 in any other given season of his NHL career. He’s also never finished a season with a positive Corsi percentage or a positive goal differential at even strength.

But, if Guhle can get a six-year, $33 million contract without having played or proved much himself, Drysdale can, too.

In the only season where he was truly mostly healthy, Drysdale put up 32 points on a bad Ducks team. With further development and a starring role on a better Flyers team–dreadful power play notwithstanding–it’s not difficult to imagine a world where the Toronto, Ontario, native produces 50 points or better.

Let the record show, the money is out there for the two young Flyers defensemen. Whether or not they earn it depends on their individual performances and the continued, escalating success of the Flyers as a team.