As a team in a bigger market, the Philadelphia Flyers have not been shy in handing out massive contracts. Some of them were great, but some of them definitely were not. Which seven Flyers have earned the most money on a singular contract in team history?
7. Ilya Bryzgalov — $51 Million (2011-20)
General manager (GM) Paul Holmgren wanted to make a splash in free agency and give the Flyers a legit netminder prior to the 2011-12 season, given he had some money to burn. He decided to give a lengthy nine-year contract worth $5.67 million per season to Ilya Bryzgalov.
Bryzgalov struggled for nearly all of his time with the Flyers. In his tenure, he had a .905 save percentage (SV%), a 2.60 goals-against average (GAA), and a minus-7.4 goals saved above expected (GSAx). His 52-33-10 record was actually solid, and he proved to be a serviceable but not elite netminder for the team. For a goaltender that was signed to be great right away and perhaps have his play fall off later in the deal, this was not the start the Flyers wanted.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers’ Starting Goaltenders Ranked Since 2008-09
In hindsight, giving a goaltender in his 30s a nine-year deal was probably not the brightest decision that Holmgren has ever made. A buyout or trade with significant retention was all but a guarantee the day pen was put to paper, but the fact that it happened after the second year of the contract was a bit surprising. The Flyers will be paying him until 2027, although it doesn’t count against the salary cap.
6. Danny Briere — $52 Million (2007-15)
After the Flyers had a league-worst 22-48-12 record in 2006-07, Holmgren knew he had to make a move in order to change the team’s tides. On top of trading for both Scott Hartnell and Kimmo Timonen, he signed forward Danny Briere from the Buffalo Sabres in free agency. This ended up being one of the most pivotal moves in team history, and it perhaps could have further benefits.
Briere was a big factor in getting the team back to the playoffs in 2007-08, losing in the Eastern Conference Final. In the 2009-10 season, he had a league-leading 30 playoff points, contributing to his mantra as ‘Mr. Playoffs’. That was the last deep run his team would go on, but 72 playoff points in just 68 games is a very impressive stat line.
Towards the latter part of his deal, he was bought out due to the Flyers’ cap situation and him not producing at his typical level. His lengthy contract made him loyal to the organization, and he became the official GM of the team on May 11, 2023.
5. Jeff Carter — $58 Million (2011-22)
Just a few months before he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on June 23, 2011, Jeff Carter was extended to an 11-year deal worth $5.27 million each season. A key center for the organization for six years, he earned every penny of this deal, even if he didn’t play any of it with the Flyers.
The Flyers decided to go in a different direction after being swept by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the 2011 Playoffs by the Boston Bruins. Needing to free some money, they got some young assets for Carter that involved the next two players on this list.
4. Sean Couturier — $62 Million (2022-30)
Sean Couturier is by far the most recent contract on this list, yet he has not played a single game on it yet despite it being signed on Aug. 26, 2021. There hasn’t been enough time to determine whether this deal will be worth it or not, but injuries that have prevented him from playing haven’t given him the greatest start.
There should still be hope that Couturier can be a valuable piece on his deal. Just 30 years old, he still has some prime years ahead of him. The two-way stud is due for a solid comeback campaign in 2023-24, given he won the Selke Trophy just a few years back.
3. Jakub Voracek — $66 Million (2016-24)
Jakub Voracek was a polarizing figure in Philadelphia, mostly inspired by his eight-year contract that rang the team up for $8.25 million per season. With 604 points in 727 games as a Flyer, he has the 10th-most points in team history and the fifth-most assists with a total of 427. He deserved the payday he received, and was a key contributor on the Flyers for several years.
The playoff success wasn’t there for him, but that was almost no fault of his own. Winning just two playoff series from his 2011-12 campaign until the 2020-21 season with Philadelphia, some better salary and player management might have given him a better legacy.
2. Claude Giroux — $66.2 Million (2014-22)
Another deal that aged fairly well was that of Claude Giroux, who signed an eight-year extension worth $8.275 million per season. This allowed him to make himself one of the most accomplished Flyers in history.
In exactly 1,000 games with the Flyers, Giroux had 291 goals and 609 assists for an even 900 points, ranking second in team history for both assists and points. A captain from the 2012-13 season until he was traded in 2021-22, he is undeniably one of the best players in the history of the organization, and should be a Hall of Fame athlete. This value alone is worth virtually any amount of money.
1. Mike Richards — $69 Million (2008-20)
Just like Carter, Mike Richards did not play out most of his deal in Philadelphia due to a trade that occurred on June 23, 2011. Sent to the Los Angeles Kings to get some youth in the lineup, this wasn’t entirely a bad decision for the Flyers even though the veteran won two Stanley Cup championships with Los Angeles.
Richards was a workhorse for Philadelphia, especially in the 2009-10 season. Off-ice issues led to the termination of his deal before the 2015-16 season, saving the team from a player who was starting to regress due to his age. 12-year deals don’t generally age particularly well, but he would have been just 35 by the time it ended. Out of the NHL entirely by the 2016-17 season, the Kings might have lucked out in this situation, saving themselves from a $5.75 million cap hit per season.
It has been quite some time since the Flyers have handed out a lucrative contract for a free agent, but they are not afraid to give some of their most valuable players extensions on their deal. They have been one of the tamer teams when it comes to handing out big deals, but they could garner a reputation for doing so in the near future.
