4:54 p.m.: CapFriendly reports Zmolek’s one-year ELC carries a cap hit of $920K, broken down across a base salary of $825K, a signing bonus of $95K, potential performance bonuses up to $30K, and a minor salary of $82.5K.
9:35 a.m.: College free agent signing season is upon us, as seasons end across the country for the unlucky programs that did not advance in their conference playoffs. Today, the Philadelphia Flyers have gotten in on the action, inking Will Zmolek to a one-year entry-level contract.
The deal will begin in 2023-24, but Zmolek is headed to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL on a tryout contract for the rest of this season.
Coming off an impressive senior season with Bemidji State, Zmolek is a 23-year-old undrafted free agent who brings a little of everything to the table. He’s big, standing 6’4″, 209 lbs, physical, has shown an improved offensive game, and was a locker room leader for the Beavers.
Nominated for this year’s Hobey Baker, Zmolek recorded 21 points in 36 games and led the club in blocked shots. He enters a Philadelphia system that once looked full of defensive prospects but has seen several fail to take the next step. With his age and experience, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Zmolek play NHL minutes next season in a limited, or part-time role.
He’ll turn 24 in April, meaning only a one-year contract was possible. Zmolek will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2024.
wiyasm
and with that alone he did more than he did on trade deadline day. congrats fletcher
bumpy93
Fletcher needs to be fired! he can’t lead us through a big rebuild we desperately need to go through!
rdiddy75
Any relation to Doug Zmolek San Jose Shark great?
MacJablonski--NotVegasLegend
@rdiddy75 – According to EliteProspects, he is.
I wander off
His son I would think seeing he is from here in Rochester like his dad was.
toomanyblacksinbaseball
Very few Beavers make it to The Show.
dswaim
How is it possible the Flyers failed to move Van Reimsdyk at the deadline? The GM should be fired. The DeAngelo trade was a head scratcher. It’s like the GM was the only person that didn’t know they were going to be bad.