Flyers' Forward's Contract Improves with Age

On the other hand, other signings are applauded and recognized as excellent for the salary cap and the team's ability to retain other players.

After former President and General Manager Chuck Fletcher was relieved of his duties, many people began dissecting his signings, with one contract in particular drawing criticism.

At the time, Nicolas Deslauriers' contract did not appear as great as many initially thought. He signed a four-year, $7 million deal, resulting in a $1.75 million cap hit for the Flyers.

In the 2022-2023 season, Deslauriers played 80 games, scoring six goals with six assists for a total of 12 points and maintaining a -11 rating. At first glance, this deal did not seem favourable.

Fast forward to the summer of 2023, when circumstances have changed. The Toronto Maple Leafs, following an easy elimination in the second round by the Florida Panthers, decided to remodel their lineup.

They sought to add some muscle to their bottom six and signed Ryan Reaves to a three-year, $4.05 million contract. Reeves will hold a $1.35 million contract for the last season.

In the previous season, he played 73 games, scoring five goals and ten assists for a total of 15 points and maintaining a -6 rating.

The moral of this story is that general managers still believe players like Deslauriers and Reeves are necessary in the league. During the playoffs, toughness becomes a premium, as many teams are larger, heavier, and unafraid to use their physicality against opponents. It seems that paying for muscle isn't such a bad thing after all.