The Flyers are beginning the process of re-upping some of their top young players.
The Philadelphia Flyers' offseason is in full swing, and they're now getting the wheels turning on re-signing some of their restricted free agents.
Wednesday afternoon, the Flyers announced qualifying offers for forwards Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, and Olle Lycksell and defensemen Ronnie Attard and Cam York.
Forwards Evan Barratt and Kieffer Bellows and defenseman Wyatte Wylie, meanwhile, did not receive qualifying offers and are set to become unrestricted free agents.
Cates, Frost, and York all played key roles for the Flyers in 2022-23, and it's likely they'll take on even greater responsibilities as the club begins its rebuild.
Cates, 24, developed into a solid two-way forward as a rookie and could serve as a key cog in the top six next season. The Minnesota native logged 13 goals and 38 total points while appearing in all 82 games in 2022-23.
Frost, after a slow start to the season, ended up being one of the Flyers' more consistent point producers toward the end of the campaign. From December 11 to the season finale, the 24-year-old led all Flyers players in assists (24) and points (40). He finished the season with 46 points in 81 games.
Of the players to receive qualifying offers, York may end up taking on the largest role next season. After (surprisingly) being sent down to Lehigh Valley to start the season, York, the Flyers' first-round pick from 2019, forced his way back into the NHL and performed well in his 54 games with the big club. He even managed to supplant Ivan Provorov as the quarterback on the Flyers' top power play unit. With Provorov now a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, York will likely be tasked with more difficult assignments as the Flyers rebuild their back end.
Lycksell and Attard have yet to earn extended time in the NHL, though they are expected to compete for full-time roles with the Flyers in training camp.
The Flyers also announced the tolling of goaltender Ivan Fedotov's contract, which will now remain in effect through the 2023-24 season.
Fedotov, after a successful 2021-22 season in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, was expected to cross the pond and compete for a roster spot with the Flyers last summer. However, soon after signing his one-year entry-level contract with the Flyers, he was arrested for allegedly evading military service.
Given the tense geopolitical climate in Russia, it's unclear when Fedotov will finally make the trek to North America to play in the NHL — if ever.