The Philadelphia Flyers have re-signed Reece Willcox to a two-year two-way contract, keeping the 24-year old defenseman in the organization. Willcox was a restricted free agent that did not file for salary arbitration this summer.
This is a depth move for the Flyers as it seems unlikely that Willcox will be ready to contribute at the NHL level any time soon, but one that does strengthen the blue line for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After coming out of Cornell University in 2016, the 6’4″ Willcox has developed into a capable minor league player and one that helps fill in some of the gaps on the right side. The Flyers have several young defensemen ready to make the jump including Philippe Myers, whose ascension to the NHL would leave a hole on the Lehigh Valley blue line whenever it happens. Willcox will help mitigate that loss, though they are obviously not the same caliber of prospect.
At the end of these two years Willcox will presumably be eligible for Group VI unrestricted free agency, unless he is given 80 games in the NHL during that time. The 2012 fifth-round pick is also still waiver exempt, meaning he can go right to the AHL without incident after training camp in a few months.