What a surprise out of Philadelphia one day before the draft was set to commence. First-pairing defenseman Matt Niskanen has decided to retire a year early and give up his $5.75 million dollars in salary that was owed to him next season.
This left the Flyers in quite the state of shock I’m sure, but was the quick response of Chuck Fletcher re-signing the 33-year-old defenseman Justin Braun to a two-year $3.6 million-dollar deal (worth $1.8 Million dollars annually) a bit of a panic move? Shouldn’t the team at least have used the newly acquired cap relief to re-sign its young, star defenseman Philippe Myers first? Myers became the team’s 4th defenseman as the year went on, taking that spot away from the guy the team just re-signed: Braun.
Looking closer at Nisky’s season with the Flyers, it was not bad- but not great by any token. He was brought in to show the Flyers’ future Norris Trophy winner Ivan Provorov how to handle the pressure of the league and become more of a leader. This is a job that Justin Braun cannot step up and do. Nor can the team expect Braun to play first pairing minutes next season. So, the Flyers will still have to look to find a similar defenseman that can play the same type of minutes (21.54 Average Time On Ice ATOI) as Niskanen did.
If the team had not panicked, what might they have done differently? How about waiting until free agency and signing the 31-year-old unrestricted free agent defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk who is a right-hand shot and could play alongside Provorov next year. Kevin just won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and when you look at his numbers could offer the same type of production and veteran leadership that Niskanen did.
Kevin played in 70 games this season where he had 8 goals and 26 assists for 34 points while managing to average a plus 22 on the regular season. Matt played in 68 games had 8 goals and 25 assists (totaling just 33 points) and managed a plus 15 during the regular season. Therefore, Shattenkirk managed slightly better production while only getting paid $1.75 million on the season from the Lightning after being bought out by the New York Rangers. That’s four million dollars less than Niskanen.
There is no doubt that Shattenkirk might get a raise this off-season, but it wouldn’t have been to the extent of what Niskanen was going to be paid. The Flyers should have waited and not made such a panicked decision to re-sign Braun so quickly when they could have waited to see what their other options could have been, and proceeded to re-sign him in free agency if they found there to be none better. Although the Flyers were able to re-sign Braun for a home team discount the term of his contract a (two-year extension) will look to block the space that a guy like the Flyers defensive prospect Egor Zamula could have been ready to fill full-time as early as sometime this year. Not to mention the fact that the Flyers already have defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, Mark Friedman and Samuel Morin already under contract for next season as well.
So even with this plethora of defenseman that are already signed in Philadelphia for next season the Flyers might be wise try and acquire this now well-traveled veteran defenseman (Shattenkirk) to solidify the defense once again.
It was not a shock. Nisskanen told Fletcher two weeks ago. The cap relief of his hit, plus Ghost’s pending departure leaves plenty of space for Myers. Had Fletcher waited till tomorrow, Braun would have cost more. He’s a serviceable bottom 4.
Niskanen told Chuck the day after the Flyers were kicked out of the playoffs. Keyword: Ghost’s pending departure. I’ll believe it when I see it happen that Ghost actually gets traded. It’s going to be a lot harder then most people think to trade a guy who’s 27yrs old that has had 2 knee surgeries, and a hip surgery in his past. Not to mention he was a guy that was getting paid $4.5 Million to sit in the press box most of the season. Because he’s a defenseman who doesn’t play defense. I’m sure there’s tons of teams that want to take on that.
Patrick ghost first pick this year for Laine
I believe it was a bit of panic move to sign Braun, but his cap-hit is now much better, then last season! There would have been much more options in free agency, who are cheaper and better than Braun, but if can trade Ghost, then we can afford to good replacement for Niskanen!