The Flyers have one week to make a decision.
In six days, the Philadelphia Flyers prospect pool could be one pro player lighter if an entry-level contract is not agreed upon beforehand.
The Flyers have until Aug. 15, this upcoming Saturday, to sign 2021 seventh-round pick Owen McLaughlin to his first entry-level contract, or lose his signing rights and risk giving him away to another NHL organization for nothing.
McLaughlin, 23, spent the last four seasons in the collegiate ranks, starring for the NCAA's University of North Dakota before transferring to powerhouse Boston University for his final amateur season.
The local Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, native scored a career-high 13 goals, 26 assists, and 39 points in 39 games with North Dakota in 2023-24, but his progression stopped there, dropping to five goals and 30 assists in 2024-25.
On a much better Boston team, McLaughlin's role was reduced further, and he finished his final NCAA season with five goals, 12 assists, and 17 points in 34 games.
In lieu of signing a contract, McLaughlin joined the Flyers' ECHL affiliates, the Reading Royals, on an amateur tryout to end the season, posting a respectable three goals, five assists, and eight points in 13 games, while making a one-game cameo in the Kelly Cup playoffs.
At the same time, though, the Flyers could have used extra reinforcements on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to try and push the AHL farm club to a Calder Cup playoff berth, especially considering that Alex Bump and Denver Barkey were up in the NHL with the Flyers playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Flyers were very clearly in wait-and-see mode to see if McLaughlin could earn himself a pro contract with them, and their decision on the hometown kid will be finalized by the end of the week.
Because McLaughlin will still be 23 years old as of Sept. 15, he is eligible to sign an entry-level contract of two years at maximum.
