Latest news with #CamYork
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cam York on New Flyers Deal: 'I Have So Much More to Give'
(Header/feature image courtesy of Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News) When Cam York finally put pen to paper on his new five-year, $25.75 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, it wasn't with a sense of relief—it was with an unshakeable confidence that he's ready to step into a new, elevated role in Philly. Advertisement Drafted 14th overall by the Flyers in 2019, York has proven to be a homegrown cornerstone in the making. His steady rise from first-round pick to top-pair mainstay has unfolded with patient precision. So, naturally, his contract negotiations followed suit. 'In terms of the length, I think it was just both sides, we were comfortable with each other and we knew we would get something done,' York said on Tuesday. 'We weren't in a rush at all to really sign the paper. We shuffled term around a little bit and we'd go back and forth with that…but we knew that something was gonna get done. It just happened to be when it was. I'm super excited to sign and be back with the Flyers.' The deal is a fair one. At a $5.15 million average annual value, the Flyers lock up a key piece of their blue line through what should be the most productive years of his career. For York, 24, it's a show of belief from the front office—and a challenge, too. He knows what's expected. And he's ready to lean into it. Advertisement 'I do feel like I've developed over the years,' York said, 'but I do want to continue taking strides in every part of my game. I think, offensively, I have so much more to give. I feel like I have a lot of skill that other defensemen don't have. When I'm on my game, I'm a really versatile guy, and not many other guys in the league have that ability that I do.' That confidence isn't misplaced. York has long been praised for his hockey IQ, his offensive abilities, and his composure under pressure. But in recent seasons, he saw himself being forced into a more defensive role—and while he's taken the adjustment in stride, he's ready to get back to the style he's played for most of his life. There's been promising flashes of his prowess as an offensive defenseman—pinching with purpose, moving the puck with flair, and hinting at a ceiling that hasn't yet been fully reached. With the arrival of new head coach Rick Tocchet, York's hoping that part of his game gets a little more room to breathe. Advertisement 'We haven't gone over in terms of roles yet,' York said of his conversations with Tocchet. 'I know as the summer goes on, when we get a little bit closer, we will. I had a conversation with [Tocchet] when he first got hired in terms of roles and exactly where they want me, we haven't discussed that yet.' Still, York isn't waiting around for permission to push his game forward. He's determined to improve his 200-foot play—from becoming more dangerous in the offensive zone to staying relentless in the dirty areas of his own end. 'Defensively, I try to do the little things—block shots, defend as hard as I can—but I think, for me, just continuing to take little strides in every area and try to improve my 200-foot game. I think we'll see better numbers there next year,' he said. Advertisement That mindset aligns seamlessly with where the Flyers are headed. This is a group that has been rebuilding carefully under GM Danny Brière and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones, and is now teetering on the edge of something bigger. After years of frustration and false starts, the pieces are starting to align: a promising youth movement, increased depth, and a head coach in Tocchet who brings experience, intensity, and clarity. York sees it, too. 'We've added depth, we've added skill. We've been in this rut for a few years, and every player here has learned and adapted to new things,' he said. 'I feel like we're at a stage where we're ready to break out…everybody continues to try to take that next step. I think our team is going to be a force to be reckoned with. You look at our young core—it's really great group of guys. You add [Tocchet] into the mix there, and I think he's gonna be a really good fit for our team…He's gonna be able to take us to that next level and get us to where we want to be.' That's what makes this contract not just about value, but belief. The Flyers believe in York's trajectory—and York believes in what the Flyers are building. Now, it's about unlocking more from a player whose game has long felt like it's just warming up. Advertisement "I learned a lot from [last year], and I think I'm gonna be able to take that year and use it as an example for me down the road," he said of his at-times tumultuous 2024-25 campaign. "I never want to have that feeling again. I'm extremely motivated to have a big next year, and I think it's important to continue to have that belief in yourself. I'm more than confident that I can come back and have a big year."
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers lock up key RFA on $25.75 million extension
The post Flyers lock up key RFA on $25.75 million extension appeared first on ClutchPoints. In the throes of a five-year postseason drought, the Philadelphia Flyers have reached the point where it is time to effectively end their rebuilding phase and jump back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs picture. Though, before the franchise can become relevant again, it must determine who fits its long-term vision. Philly general manager Daniel Briere believes Cam York is a key part of the squad's solution, and is thus signing him to a five-year, $25.75 million contract extension, per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman. The young defenseman was a restricted free agent but is now fully committing himself to the organization that drafted him in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft. The Flyers are getting a potential bargain with this new contract. Despite York's inconsistencies during the 2024-25 campaign, he has flashed promise and could be on the verge of having a breakout year. The Anaheim, California native totaled four goals, 13 assists and 126 blocks while averaging almost 21 minutes of ice time in 66 games. Unfortunately, however, the biggest story involving him last season centered around something that happened off the ice. York and former head coach John Tortorella got into a heated verbal altercation in March, which reportedly contributed to the latter's subsequent firing. York is hoping to put the whole conflict behind him as he tries to fulfill his ample potential. In a way, this new deal is a fresh start. Both the 24-year-old and the Flyers are expressing their trust in one another, eager to achieve great success in the next few years. Under new HC Rick Tocchet, who helped the Vancouver Canucks return to the playoffs in 2023-24, there is hope that Philadelphia can take the next step. Perhaps the same can be said about York. Briere has made a number of moves to improve the roster this offseason, most notably signing center Christian Dvorak and goaltender Dan Vladar. But Philly is still relying heavily on its homegrown talent to give the team a big push in the right direction. That includes the newly re-signed Cam York. Related: Grading Cam York's 5-year, $25.75 million Flyers contract extension
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Grading Cam York's 5-year, $25.75 million Flyers contract extension
The post Grading Cam York's 5-year, $25.75 million Flyers contract extension appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs for a fifth straight season, but they have made a bevy of moves to make sure they return to the postseason this upcoming year. This kicked off with the hiring of Rick Tocchet to be the new head coach. The latest move was bringing back restricted free agent Cam York, in what could be a positive move for the Flyers going forward. It has been a busy NHL Free Agency period for Philly, but that started earlier in the summer. They re-signed both Tyson Foerster and Noah Cates before swinging a major move. The Flyers traded for Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. The franchise would not be done there, bringing in Christian Dvorak, Dan Vladar, Noah Juulsen, Dennis Gilbert, and Lane Pederson in a flurry of additions early in free agency. Philly has just over $1 million in cap space now to work with and fill out their roster. Their latest move keeps York in the mix. He was the 14th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. He would spend two seasons with the University of Michigan before joining the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After just eight games with the Phantoms, the American-born defender would make his NHL debut, playing in three games at the end of the 2020-21 season. He would have stints in the AHL in each of the next two campaigns before becoming a mainstay in the NHL during the 2023-24 season, playing in all 82 games that year. York is coming off a slightly down season, but still had a solid year. He scored four goals with 13 assists, good for 17 points. Still, that was a decline from his 2023-24 campaign. He played just 66 games this past year, but was great in the previous season. That year, he played in all 82 games, scoring 10 times while also adding 13 assists. Still, there were some major positives of the defender's game this past year. To begin with, he had 20:46 of ice time per game this past season. That was good for second on the team, just behind Travis Sanheim. It was also his second straight campaign playing 20 or more minutes per game. He will also be back with his defensive partner from last year. York primarily plays on the left side of the defense, and will be on the top defensive rotation opposite Sanheim. Further, York also saw a drop in production, partially due to coaching decisions last year. He did struggle to come back from a shoulder injury early in the year, but also did not play much on the powerplay this past season. In his 2023-24 campaign, six of his 30 points came on the powerplay. Advanced stats show that his production in 5v5 situations was similar to the previous campaign, while playing in 16 fewer games. In his prior season, he had 17 points in 5v5 situations, good for .21 points per game. This past year, 14 points in 66 games in 5v5 situations, a similar .21 points per game. He also doubled his takeaways in 5v5 situations while playing fewer games. With improving defensive play and a new coaching staff, York may be able to have his best season in 2025-26. It looks like the Flyers got a great deal by locking up York for the foreseeable future. To begin with, he will turn 25 during the regular season, making him the youngest blueliner currently under contract, but Jamie Drysdale could be back as a restricted free agent. Further, Philly keeps their top defensive rotation together for the next five seasons, with Sanheim still having six years left on his deal. Meanwhile, he currently accounts for just 5.4 percent of the salary cap, but that percentage will shrink as the cap is projected to grow to over $113 million before the end of his deal. For York, this is a significant raise for the blue liner. He was making just $1.6 million over the past two seasons, and now has five years of security and $25.75 million coming into the bank. He also gets to stay with the Flyers while playing for a new coaching staff. Last season, an altercation between York and then-head coach John Tortorella may have contributed to the dismissal of the coach. Considering his banishment from the powerplay last season, it is possible the defender returns to prior offensive production with a return to the top man advantage unit. Now, York has financial security and will be just 29 years old when his contract ends. This means, in a solid five years, he could be in line for a major pay bump. Hopefully, for York, the five years include a chance to play in the playoffs as well, but regardless, he is now part of the core of the franchise moving forward. Philadelphia Flyers Grade: B+ Cam York Grade: B Related: Flyers lock up key RFA on $25.75 million extension
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Cam York's New Flyers Contract Changes Salary Cap Outlook
The Flyers locked Cam York down for five years on Monday. (Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images) After re-signing Cam York, the Philadelphia Flyers have depleted virtually all of their salary cap space ahead of the start of the 2025-26 season. York, 24, signed a five-year, $25.75 million ($5.15 AAV) contract with the Flyers on Monday morning, wrapping up the team's offseason business but leaving them in a short-term bind financially. Advertisement At the time of this writing, PuckPedia shows the Flyers have just $370k in cap space with only 11 forwards on the active roster, which is assuming Tyson Foerster will begin the 2025-26 season on injured reserve. This meager amount of cap space, is, as we know, not nearly enough to bring up a 12th forward to the active roster at this time. By the start of the season, the Flyers are expected to send goalie Ivan Fedotov and his $3.275 million cap hit to the AHL, which will generate $1.15 million in cap space via the burial threshold. That's enough for one replacement player and one player only. Assuming Foerster and Rasmus Ristolainen are both indeed unavailable to start the season, the Flyers will, for all intents and purposes, begin the next campaign with just one extra healthy body on the roster. Advertisement Foerster's vacancy in the lineup creates a second opening on the left wing; Alex Bump and Nikita Grebenkin are the two likeliest options to fill these holes. By extension, this also means that Nick Deslauriers will have to play every night to start the year. With Bump, Grebenkin, and newcomer Dennis Gilbert on the roster, and with Noah Juulsen wresting control of a spot in the opening night lineup, the Flyers would be down to $495k in cap space with Foerster and Ristolainen on injured reserve. Flyers' salary cap situation with Grebenkin, Bump, and Gilbert on the roster and with Foerster and Ristolainen injured. (PuckPedia) Now, this is meaningful for a few reasons. First is that the Flyers won't have the money to call up another player from the AHL in the event of further injury. Advertisement Second is that the NHL manages salary cap on a daily basis, and each day, a portion of each player's salary counts against the team's cap. If a team spends less than the maximum cap on a given day, that unused cap space is accumulated and added to the bank. So, the more unused cap space, the better, and the Flyers are pushing it to the limit at the moment. Flyers Among NHL Leaders in Dead Salary Cap Space Flyers Among NHL Leaders in Dead Salary Cap Space The Philadelphia Flyers will head into the 2025-26 season with the third-highest amount of dead salary cap space in the NHL. The Flyers could always add Foerster, Ristolainen, or Ryan Ellis to LTIR to create space in a pinch, but they would then cease to accrue the aforementioned cap space. Advertisement The Flyers are a team that likes to keep its options open going forward, and it's possible they use their last salary retention spot to facilitate a trade at some point this season. In the end, the Flyers got a great deal with York's new contract in terms of both length and salary, but they'll first need to navigate some short-term obstacles before they begin truly reaping the rewards.
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After Cam York contract, are the Flyers done for the offseason?
After inking restricted free agent defenseman Cam York to a five-year, $25.75 million deal on Monday ($5.15 AAV), Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere has nimbly taken care of what was the only obvious bit of pending business. As reported here previously, it was a drawn-out process with York. After his breakout 2023-24 season, there were talks toward the beginning of last season that broke down fairly quickly. When the club agreed to extensions with pending RFAs Tyson Foerster on May 29 and Noah Cates on June 11 — and York was left unsigned — it fueled speculation that York, who had an up-and-down 2024-25 for a few reasons, might be dangled as trade bait for a roster upgrade elsewhere. Advertisement Instead, the door still remains wide open for the 24-year-old to establish himself as key part of the future. There are no guarantees that will happen. The Flyers left themselves some flexibility here, as the deal doesn't include any trade protection (per a team source) despite them buying two seasons of what would have been unrestricted free agency for York. But there may not be a player on the Flyers' roster that is more looking forward to the coaching change to Rick Tocchet than York, who never really seemed to see eye-to-eye with John Tortorella and whose heated argument with the coach during a game in Toronto hastened Tortorella's firing two days later on March 27. As York said on getaway day after last season, once Brad Shaw took over on an interim basis, 'I able to play with a bit more freedom. Maybe not gripping the stick as tight. As a player, that's everything, in a way. It felt good to kind of get back to that, and have that mindset.' It stands to reason that a new five-year deal should help that mindset, too. If Briere is done for the summer, he's seemingly accomplished what he consistently said he set out to do — improve the team for the immediate future, while maintaining flexibility for the 2026 offseason. Yes, it's quite possible that the Flyers have already hit 'rock bottom' in their rebuild, as Briere said he was hopeful was the case in his comments immediately after Tortorella was let go. There are reasons for optimism they could start to turn a corner. The dreadful power play, 30th in the NHL last season and last for the previous two, will get some fresh eyes with Tocchet and assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky. Tocchet, especially, has had success coaching power plays in the past. Unlike with Tortorella and former assistant coach Rocky Thompson, there should be more of a teaching element on the power play from the new staff. Advertisement The center depth is improved. No doubt that Christian Dvorak's one-year, $5.4 million deal is an overpay, but it was a necessary one considering how desperate the Flyers were for another pivot. To clarify: the Flyers didn't sign Dvorak with the idea of flipping him at the trade deadline. While that can always happen if the team ends up being terrible, Briere has made it clear in some of his comments that he owes it to the players who have been on the team for a few years now (think Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny) to try and make a run at the playoffs. Both the Flyers and Dvorak agreed to this deal under the assumption that he will be around for the duration (and Dvorak, according to a source close to the player, is looking forward to playing for Tocchet again, too). There is more elite skill. That's in the form of Trevor Zegras, of course, whose YouTube highlight reel is as dazzling as anyone's in the league. Briere was universally praised for the deal, as he didn't have to surrender that much to acquire Zegras, who may simply need a change in scenery to resume a career that looked to be on the cusp of stardom. Even a return to Zegras' previous career high of 65 points would be a home run, especially if it comes with him skating in the middle of one of the top two lines, as is his and the team's preference. The league-worst goaltending has nowhere to go but up. Dan Vladar probably isn't going to be in the running for the Vezina Trophy anytime soon, with a career save percentage of .895, but he's an experienced goalie and, at age, 27, that he could still conceivably get better. If Vladar puts up just league-average numbers, allowing Sam Ersson to regain his form as a solid tandem guy before Carter Hart's departure midway through the 2023-24 season, that alone would be worth a double-digit improvement in points in the standings. Young players are arriving. A fifth-round pick in 2022, Alex Bump has emerged as a winger who, at this point, should probably considered likely to make the opening-night lineup. He may even be joined by this year's No. 6 overall draft pick Porter Martone and/or 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, both of whom will come to camp in September with an eye on making the roster. And the Flyers expect their other young players already here to get better, too. Matvei Michkov, in particular, could be ready to break out after an outstanding rookie season. There remains the possibility for another notable move, particularly after Briere said he might be willing to go the offer-sheet route. That could be a way to upgrade the center position. Or, perhaps there could be trade talks involving Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram, who is still without a deal in Buffalo. Advertisement But that feels increasingly unlikely. The Flyers are now up against the salary cap for next season (they may even have to make a more or two before the season begins to get cap compliant), yet still have plenty of cap space to play with in less than a year, as they finally reach the end of a three-year process of carrying dead money in the name of resetting the team culture and acquiring future assets. Briere has been patient and methodical in his approach in getting here. There's not much reason to believe that's going to change between now and the start of camp in a little more than two months.
