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Flyers Re-Sign 3 RFAs, Charity Classic Sunday |
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QUICK HITS: JULY 15, 2017
1) The Flyers announced on Saturday that they have re-signed all three of their remaining restricted free agents. Goaltenders Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon each signed one-year, two-way contracts while role-playing forward Cole Bardreau signed a two-year, two contract ($650,000 at the NHL level, $100,000 at the AHL level in 2017-18 and $125,000 for 2018-19).
Stolarz and Lyon are set to compete for playing time -- and a potential call-up to the Flyers in the event of injury to Michal Neuvirth or Brian Elliott -- next season. Over the longer term, they are also competing on the depth chart with 19-year-old Carter Hart and 20-year-old Felix Sandström, who could both be in the American Hockey League in 2018-19.
The 23-year-old Stolarz played solidly overall in seven NHL appearances for the Flyers. He has been a bit streaky in his play at the AHL level thus far in his career but played in the AHL All-Star Game in 2015-16.
Lyon, 24, saw a lengthy runs of starts in Allentown last season while Stolarz was on NHL recall with the Flyers. He posted a .912 save percentage, 2.74 GAA and four shutouts in 47 games during his first AHL campaign while Stolarz played in 29 games with 2.92 GAA, .911 save percentage and one shut out. Both players suffered April injuries (in Lyon's case, in the second game of the playoffs) that ended their seasons but should be fine for next season.
The 23-year-old Bardreau has been well-regarded for years by the Flyers organization, even before the USNTP product was signed out of Cornell University. He has been held back by injuries but has quietly been an effective two-way role player for the Phantoms and dressed in 72 games last season (nine goals, 15 assists, 24 points).
When training camp rolls around in September, Bardreau will face an uphill battle to try to claim a fourth-line spot on the Flyers. The team already has a numbers game to navigate in their bottom six, even with the departures of Nick Cousins, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and unsigned unrestricted free agent Chris VandeVelde. However, Bardreau is a call-up candidate if an opportunity arises. He "plays big"and is a deceptively strong 193 pounder despite standing just a listed 5-foot-10.
2) Kudos to Flyers Alumni Association president Brad Marsh, Flyers Charities and to senior manager of client communications and events Shannon Bowes for their yeoman work in putting together the 2017 Toyota Flyers Charity Classic biking, running and walking event. A massive amount of time and effort has gone into putting together a city-wide event.
The Flyers coordinated the event with city officials and the police department to plot out and secure four different courses (a 5k run/walk, plus separate 10-mile, 50-mile and 100-mile bicycling courses), which will also involve the closure of Broad Street along the course routes.
As someone who works closely with Brad, I have gotten to see firsthand just how much work the Alumni and the Flyers have put into making this event a reality. Brad's side of it involves not just planning but also arranging for Flyers Alumni to participate (there will be a dozen on hand, with seven serving as team captains), promoting the event, motivating participants to fundraise, coordinating efforts with Shannon and Flyers Charities and simultaneously juggling that with other Alumni activities and other responsibilities as the Flyers' director of community development.
The hard has paid off. Brad told me there will be roughly 1,500 participants in the Charity Classic with more bike riders than runners/walkers (as an avid cyclist who has wanted to do a fundraising bike ride with the Flyers Alumni for a long time, he is thrilled by the response), and a hearty response from sponsors and donors.
All proceeds raised by the Flyers Alumni teams in the event will go toward making good on their $2 million pledge to help the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation build a new, state-of-the-art rink for the youngsters in the program. The future site will be called the Edward M. Snider Flyers Alumni Rink. Other proceeds will be distributed by Flyers Charities across the hundreds of charitable and community-service organizations that they generously assist each year.
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • 
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