Why the Tyson Foerster Extension Is a Big Win For Him and the Flyers

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers inked an important part of their young core, Tyson Foerster, to a two-year extension with an AAV of $3.75 million.

While it was not high in salary, which would have significantly benefited Foerster, or long-term, which the Flyers would have likely preferred, the two-year bridge deal was a massive win for both parties.

The next two offseasons are pivotal for the Flyers as they look to become contenders in the next two to three years. Keeping Foerster’s cap hit at $3.75 million offers more flexibility to make moves now.

This offseason was always going to be hindered by the four RFAs the Flyers needed to sign. Yes, the team had roughly $26 million in cap space heading into the offseason (it’s now $22,991,905 with the extension), but most of that was going to be taken up by extending Foerster, Cam York, Noah Cates, and Jakob Pelletier.

Now, the Flyers have a bit more flexibility. I am not indicating that they could now go out and sign Mitch Marner. However, keeping Foerster’s cap hit low gives them the flexibility to allocate their money elsewhere this offseason.

Personally, I was expecting Foerster to get something in the $4.25-$5 million range. While $1.25 million in cap space may not seem like all that much, it could be the difference between signing or trading for a depth and an impact player.

For the Flyers, if Foerster continues to show positive development, he could be eligible for a big extension starting July 1, 2026. Or, if he begins to plateau, they can sign him to something more fair to his value in his next RFA contract.

The short-term extension offers the Flyers flexibility now and doesn’t tie them to a long-term deal yet.

Read More: Flyers Extend Tyson Foerster

The Flyers Weren’t the Only Side to Benefit

While the Flyers organization may seem like the clear winner of this extension, they’re not the only ones.

Tyson Foerster’s extension is truly a win-win contract. I’ve explained why this is great for the Flyers, but here is why it’s excellent for Foerster.

The young winger showed significant progress in his second full season in the NHL. He improved upon each of his goal and assist totals from the prior season by five. Foerster had 25 goals and 18 assists this past season, totaling 43 points, which surpassed his 20 goals and 13 assists from his first full season.

That said, Foerster is showing improvement and betting on himself.

With the rising cap, taking a long-term extension now would leave a lot of money on the table for Foerster. By the time Foerster is eligible for his next RFA contract, the cap is expected to rise by nearly $20 million. A 25-goal scorer then could be worth much more than $3.75 million alone. Not to mention the fact that Foerster may not be done developing.

Foerster’s ceiling is still very high. 25 goals is a number that players of Foerster’s potential could consider average.

By betting on himself, Foerster could earn himself a much bigger payday as soon as next July. Foerster’s extension is truly a win-win solution for the first of the Flyers’ RFAs. Will the others follow suit?

Read More: Could the Flyers Be a Fit for a Top Trade Candidate? (+)

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