The Flyers face a tough decision this summer with restricted free agent defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon. The 24-year-old, who showed promise in 45 games as a rookie at the NHL level during the 2011-12 season, has missed most of the last two seasons due to post-concussion syndrome.
Bourdon has dressed in just 31 games since February 18, 2012. He has sustained four concussions in that time span -- two at the NHL level and two at the AHL level -- and has had a series of setbacks with post-concussion issues.
In mid-January of this year, Bourdon was declared ready to return to game play. Rejoining the Adirondack Phantoms lineup, he dressed in 7 games and posted three assists. Unfortunately, the concussion problems returned. On February 22, Bourdon was shut down for the remainder of the season.
Bourdon is once again undertaking the all-too-familiar rehabilitation path in the hopes of being able to resume his career. He has been able to
partake in leisure activities such as fly fishing but no one can say for certain when or if he will be cleared to play hockey again.
The defenseman carried a modest $612,500 cap hit this season ($650,000 real-dollar salary) on the second half of a two-year deal that paid him on one-way basis in 2013-14. It seems unlikely that the Flyers will present Bourdon a qualifying offer this summer.
National Hockey League teams cannot assign injured players to the minor leagues, nor can the player be waived for purposes of such an assignment. Additionally, there is the issue of the 50 NHL contract limit on teams' reserve lists. The Flyers are also tight to the salary cap for next season, and the thought of another salary on the injured reserve list is not appealing.
For these reasons, Bourdon is not presently a good candidate to issue a qualifying offer and re-sign to a new NHL contract. However, there is another option available: signing Bourdon to an AHL-only contract.
The Flyers used that contracting strategy last summer with the injured Eric Wellwood (a restricted free agent) and with former Edmonton Oilers forward Chris VandeVelde (a training camp tryout player). Teams have the option of converting an AHL-only deal into an NHL contract during the season. VandeVelde's AHL contract was eventually torn up and replaced with a one-year, two way contract. VandeVelde went on to dress in 18 games with the Flyers. Wellwood was unable to play this season while undertaking a protracted recovery from career threatening injuries to leg tendons and arteries suffered in a freak on-ice accident during the 2012-13 season.
Bourdon is unlikely to find an NHL contract in another organization this summer. As such, an AHL deal with the potential for a new NHL deal with the Flyers is probably his best bet. To get to that point, however, his post-concussion rehabilitation efforts must be successful.
In order to be effective on the ice, Bourdon needs to play an aggressive and physical style while also making use of his heavy shot. He did those things during his stint with the Phantoms this season while also working to regain his timing. If and when he returns to the ice again, he will be back at square one.
A likable and earnest young man with a high degree of self-confidence and a fighter's spirit, it is impossible not to root for Bourdon to succeed in his quest to continue his hockey career. He deserves another chance at doing so. At some point, however, quality of life becomes a more important issue than a professional sports career.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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