According to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer, goaltender Steve Mason will not return to the Philadelphia Flyers, and intends to sign elsewhere once free agency opens on July 1st. We already know the Winnipeg Jets have shown interest in the former rookie of the year, and there will likely be several other teams knocking on his door when the signing period opens.
It always seemed unlikely that Mason would return after the Flyers handed Michal Neuvirth a new contract. For Philadelphia to head into next season with the same duo would be an odd move, given the relatively weak performance they got from the pair. Instead Mason will look to try and find work somewhere else, perhaps as a backup or tandem goaltender. We ranked him #25 on our top 50 free agent list, predicting a one-year deal worth $2.5MM.
Just 29, despite seeming to have been in the league for a few decades, Mason is still an interesting option for teams looking for a veteran option in net. He’s shown at times throughout his career that he can put together brilliance, but has settled into a move average role more than not. A .911 career save percentage is about what you can expect from him, which puts him behind other options like Jonathan Bernier or Chad Johnson who are of a similar age. The one thing Mason has going for him is that he’s logged at least 45 starts in eight of nine seasons, and can be expected to carry the load should your starter or other option go down.