The Philadelphia Flyers avoided arbitration withMichael Del Zotto, agreeing to a two-year contract with the 25-year-old defenseman. The deal, which pre-empts one year of unrestricted free agent (UFA) eligibility, carries a $3.875 million cap hit and a real-dollar value of $3.75 million in 2015-16 and $4 million in 2016-17.
Del Zotto is coming off a bounceback season for the Flyers after being plucked off the UFA scrap heap last summer. In 64 games, the offensively skilled defenseman produced 10 goals and 32 points in 2015-16. He set new single-season career highs in game-winning-goals (4) and shots on net (119) and placed second on the team with 128 blocked shots. Del Zotto played his best hockey in October to mid-November and then from January onward after a lengthy stint as a healthy scratch for former head coach Craig Berube.
In a conference call with reporters, Del Zotto said he was confident all along there were would be a resolution without the need for arbitration.
"Talks all along were going well and we weren't far off," said Del Zotto. "It was just a matter of getting a number that was fair for both sides."
Del Zotto's signing gives the Flyers eight defensemen on one-way NHL contracts for the 2015-16 season. Apart from Del Zotto's extension, the team's books for next season have Mark Streit (signed through 2016-17, $5.25 million cap hit), Andrew MacDonald ($5 million, signed through 2019-20), Luke Schenn (signed through 2015-16, $3.6 million cap hit), recent Russian import Evgeni Medvedev (signed through 2015-16, $3 million cap hit), Nick Schultz (signed through 2016-17, $2.25 million cap hit), Radko Gudas (signed through 2015-16, $991,667 cap hit) and Brandon Manning (signed through 2015-16, $625,000 cap hit). If the Flyers enter the regular season with their full current roster of veterans, they will be under the salary cap but with only about $300,000 of available space. Most likely, the team will look to trade one defenseman -- possibly Schenn, who is an unrestricted free agent next summer -- by opening night.
According to Flyers general manager Ron Hextall, the team wanted a two-year deal all along with Del Zotto and the dollar figures were in the same ballpark as what an arbitrator may have awarded had the case gone to a hearing next week. Del Zotto echoed a similar sentiment, saying his goal was a two-year deal.
Del Zotto said that he is anxious to get going under new head coach Dave Hakstol and wanted to stay put. The player described the dressing room atmosphere as the closest group of guys I've ever been with."
Said Del Zotto, "I truly believe in our team. Everything I've been hearing with the new coach. Playing an up-style tempo. I'm really excited to start this year."
Signing a two-year deal instead of a one year increases Del Zotto's chance of remaining with the team for at least one more full year, although it may also increase his trade value a bit at the 2016 trade deadline if he plays well this season.
Earlier in the day, the Flyers signed Travis Konecny, the 24th overall selection of the 2015 NHL Draft, to an entry-level contract (ELC). Between bonuses and base salary, Konecny received the ELC maximum of a $925,000 average annual value. The contract is slide rule eligible for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, meaning that Konecny can be reassigned to his junior team without burning a year off his ELC or the contract counting against the 50-contract reserve list maximum if he plays in the Ontario Hockey League.