The Flyers offseason has appeared to be more about adding depth to the organization at all levels instead. That has been limited at the NHL level due to a small window of cap space again.
Much of that is due to the impending contract of Brayden Schenn. The Flyers made a qualifying offer last week, but no new deal has been announced yet. After the first day of free agency came complete, GM Ron Hextall assured it will get done.
Negotiations have taken an interesting turn, however, as Schenn's agent Don Meehan filed for arbitration on Schenn's behalf on Tuesday.
Don Meehan has filed for arbitration on behalf of Brayden Schenn
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) July 5, 2016
Schenn is due for a big raise in his new contract after putting up career numbers in the 2015-16 season. He scored 26 goals and had 59 points, both career highs.
Schenn is not the only restricted free agent the Flyers are looking to retain. Qualifying offers were also extended to Nick Cousins, Brandon Manning and Jordan Weal. Both Manning and Weal also elected for salary arbitration.
Brandon Manning, Jordan Weal and Brayden Schenn all elected salary arbitration. #Flyers
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) July 5, 2016
The filing for arbitration is merely a formality at this point, setting a date for when such negotiations will be worked out. Michael Del Zotto filed for arbitration last year, but reached a two-year, $7.75 million agreement just five days before a scheduled arbitration hearing.
Additionally, the Flyers continued to bolster the Lehigh Valley Phantoms lineup on Tuesday. The Flyers added T.J. Brennan on a two-year, two-way deal and also signed forward Mark Zengerle from Grand Rapids while retaining goalie Martin Ouellette, both on AHL deals.
Zengerle scored nine goals and added 38 assists for 47 points in 72 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins in his second year of pro hockey. In his rookie season in the AHL, he scored 15 goals and had 37 points in 75 games.
Ouellette is a seventh-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010, but joined the Flyers organization as an unsigned free agent prior to the 2014-15 season. He played 29 games for the Reading Royals that season, going 17-10-2 with a 2.91 GAA and .907 save percentage. He also played five games for the Phantoms that season, posting a 3-2-0 record and a 2.90 GAA.
Last season, he also split time between the Royals and Phantoms. He had a 17-10-3 record in Reading with a 2.10 GAA and .922 save percentage as well as four shutouts. In nine games with the Phantoms, he was 5-3-0 with a 2.36 GAA and .933 save percentage as well as two shutouts.
The Flyers have really put tremendous care into the minor-league system, not just to make a contender in the AHL, but also to add organizational depth at all positions.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
