Philadelphia Flyers: Key Offseason Priorities and Contract Talks
Negotiations for a contract extension with restricted free agent forward Trevor Zegras are anticipated to commence shortly for the Philadelphia Flyers. General Manager Daniel Briere is also aiming to re-sign defenseman Jamie Drysdale, another RFA. While backup goaltender Samuel Ersson is also an RFA, he is considered a lower priority than Zegras and Drysdale. The Flyers possess approximately $39.5 million in projected cap space, offering flexibility. A significant area for improvement is their power play, which ranked last in the league during the regular season with a 15.7% success rate. The team may also explore acquiring a new goaltender to pair with Dan Vladar if they decide to move on from Ersson.
Dallas Stars: Uncertainty Surrounding Tyler Myers and Michael Bunting
The Dallas Stars’ trade deadline acquisitions, defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Michael Bunting, did not meet expectations. Both players were scratched at times during the first round of the playoffs and made notable mistakes, despite coming off groin injuries. Myers, who has one year remaining on his contract with a $1.5 million cap hit and a 12-team no-trade list, could be a trade candidate. Bunting, a pending unrestricted free agent, is unlikely to be re-signed due to salary cap constraints, even if the Stars desired to keep him. Bunting’s current contract carries a $4.5 million cap hit. He expressed a desire to remain in Dallas but acknowledged the uncertainty of his future.