Flyers Daily News
Bailey’s Daily: Flyers Draft Fallout; Shesterkin Breaks Goalie Market
In Thursday’s edition of Bailey’s Daily, we’ll be talking the latest Philadelphia Flyers news, NHL news, stories, highlights, and more from the last day.
Flyers News
I am not under the assumption that many fans thought much of Egor Zavragin when the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him 87th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Fast forward to a year later, and the 19-year-old is rapidly establishing himself as one of the world’s best goalie prospects. Zavragin has dominated every level of competition in Russia so far, and after an impressive start to the 2024-25 KHL season with HC Sochi, SKA St. Petersburg came calling and terminated his loan after six games.
On the other hand, one Flyers draft miss is the decision to trade Florida’s first-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers for a 2025 first-round pick at the 2024 draft in June.
Why?
Nikita Artamonov, one of the draft’s most talented wingers, is off to a blazing start in the KHL that rivals that of Zavragin, and the Flyers need more of that. Who will be knocking down the door to replace Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, or Joel Farabee in six or seven years?
Well, now that he has been drafted by the division rival Hurricanes, it won’t be Artamonov.
Igor Shesterkin contract
So you want a big contract, do you?
The Igor Shesterkin contract drama has caused quite a stir online and around the league, as the superstar Russian goalie has reportedly rejected an offer from the New York Rangers that would have made him $88 million over eight years ($11 million AAV).
We recently saw Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark, old Bruins pals, ink contract extensions that carried $8.25 million AAVs, so Shesterkin is looking to blow them out of the water and then some.
I have no problems with athletes getting their chunk of change when the time comes, but when you make that much money, you cannot seriously expect your team to build a competitive roster around you.
That’s good news for the Flyers, though!