It's the unfortunate reality of the business that is the National Hockey League, and now-former Philadelphia Flyers forward Cam Atkinson has found that out the hard way. He's been bought out of the final years of his contract and is now a free agent.
Frequently a healthy scratch under demanding bench boss John Tortorella, Atkinson saw his offensive numbers dip to just 13 goals and 15 assists after scoring 23 in his previous year. He originally made his way to the Flyers from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the trade that sent Jacob Voracek back to the franchise he started his career with.
It was a difficult call to buy out Cam Atkinson's contract
According to Flyers GM Danny Briere, it was certainly a difficult decision to buy out the remaining years of Atkinson's contract, especially given his past accomplishments and character, via NHL.com.
“When it comes to someone with the accomplishments and character of Cam, this was an exceptionally tough decision to make.
Throughout his time with the Flyers, Cam has displayed an incredible work ethic and level of professionalism that is a true credit to him as a player and person. I've witnessed firsthand the amount of effort, dedication, and perseverance he went through during an incredibly tough rehabilitation process in order to come back and be a leader for our team on and off the ice.
I would like to thank Cam for all he has put into raising the standard of our team. Cam will always have a place in the Flyers organization, and we wish all the success for him and his family in the future.”
Potential Destination 1: Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche will be without forward Valeri Nichushkin for the first few months of the upcoming 2024-25 NHL season, as he was suspended in April for six months and placed in stage 3 of the league's player assistance program. During last regular season, he tallied 28 goals and was on a tear in the postseason before the news of the suspension surfaced.
Atkinson has demonstrated that he can still post offensive numbers, and the Avalanche are a far more talented team than the Flyers. A middle-six winger like Atkinson could fit in nicely with the Avalanche and their bevy of talent that includes players like Nathan MacKinnon, Miko Rantanen, and offensive defenseman Cale Makar.
Potential Destination 2: New Jersey Devils
The Devils were thought to be in the running for Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, but both players would ultimately sign elsewhere. Additionally, they traded Tyler Toffoli at the NHL Trade Deadline in March following a productive tenure.
Atkinson could benefit from playing in the up-tempo offense of new Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe and help to offset some of the production that was lost by Toffoli's departure last season.
Potential Destination 3: Return to Columbus Blue Jackets
Atkinson could be enticed to sign a short-term deal with the Blue Jackets, with whom he broke into the NHL in 2011 after being drafted in 2008. He enjoyed his most productive years with the Blue Jackets, including tallying 41 goals in 2018-19 and helping them to advance to Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Blue Jackets would represent a low-pressure situation for Atkinson, and with nearly $19 million in available cap space, a deal could easily be worked out for him to re-discover his scoring touch that made him a reliable goal scorer earlier in his career.
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