On the heels of announcing an extension for Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall also told reporters including Sam Carchidi of the Inquirer that he had not talked to Jordan Weal’s camp since the combine and he doesn’t know if they are any closer to a deal. Despite the fact that he’s just 25, Weal is set to become a Group VI unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Weal spent most of this season in the AHL once again, scoring 47 points in 43 games and showing that he deserved a chance at the NHL level. In four previous professional seasons, he’d only seen NHL ice 14 times but proved he belonged with 8 goals and 12 points in 23 games down the stretch. He was given a real role in the Flyers forward group, averaging more than 14 minutes a night and often being one of the better players on the ice. The former third-round pick was a big part of the deal that sent Luke Schenn and Vincent Lecavalier to Los Angeles, and watching him walk away for nothing would be a disappointing end to his Philadelphia tenure.
That said, 25-year old point-per-game players in the AHL don’t hit free agency very often and many teams would be interested in him. If the Flyers can’t offer him a role in the NHL, he’ll likely try his luck on a rebuilding franchise or even perhaps an expansion one. His skill and scoring prowess would be a welcome addition to the Golden Knights who will have to build a forward group from the scrap heap this summer. Whichever team does get him will likely have to offer him a one-way deal and an established role in the NHL.