The Philadelphia Flyers are holding onto the third spot in the Metropolitan Division heading into the new year. With new coach Rick Tochett behind the bench, they have finally joined the Eastern Conference playoff conversation. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Flyers are closing in on a contract extension with Christian Dvorak, who has been a solid addition this year.
“The Flyers signed Christian Dvorak on July 1 to a one-year deal. When you sign a one-year contract, the earliest you can do an extension is on January 1. The Flyers and Dvorak are talking extension. I think everybody here would tell you that it has to work for both sides to happen. He's played very well there; he's got 24 points in 35 games. And what I can say, Ron, is that there are other teams out there that don't expect Dvorak to hit the market.”
Dvorak started his career with the Arizona Coyotes, moving to the Montreal Canadiens before the 2022-23 season in a trade. He struggled with 103 points in 232 games and left in free agency. The Flyers scooped him up on a $5.1 million deal for just this season. But Tocchet and the whole operation have been impressed with Dvorak, leading to a potential expansion.
The Flyers' bigger move was a trade for Trevor Zegras from the Anaheim Ducks. Adding two centers in one offseason is a quick way to get back into the playoff race, which is what has happened for Philadelphia. With Matvei Michkov as the top prospect at wing, getting solid veterans to play center is vital.
The Flyers continue a West Coast road trip with games against the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames to close 2025. Can Philadelphia be a trendy playoff pick come 2026? With their new centers in Dvorak and Zegras, they have a chance to make a run.
