The Flyers Stick With Daniel Carcillo
The Philadelphia Flyers have signed team agitator Daniel Carcillo to a one year contract reportedly worth $1 million. Carcillo was an RFA, so signing him ensured that he did not walk as a free agent. With this signing, the Flyers now sit nearly $2.5 million above the National Hockey League salary cap, and therefore need to make changes to their roster before the 2010-11 season.
Daniel Carcillo
Carcillo began his professional career playing for the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League. He was drafted in the third round 73rd overall by the Pittsburg Penguins in the 2003 NHL entry draft. Carcillo spent two seasons with the Penguins American Hockey League affiliate the Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins before being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Georges Laraque.
In his first season with the Coyotes, Carcillo demonstrated his worth as a tough guy and an agitator, accumulating 324 minutes in penalties in only 57 games. Carcillo was then traded to the Flyers in exchange for Scottie Upshall.
Last season with the Flyers, Carcillo notched 12 goals and 10 assists for 22 points while tallying 207 penalty minutes in 76 games. In only 225 NHL games, Carcillo has managed to amass 859 penalty minutes.
What this Means for the Flyers
Carcillo brings the edge that Philadelphia always seems to be looking for in their forwards. With Carcillo, general manager Paul Holmgren gets a player that plays nasty but also has some skill. Carcillo found himself on pretty much every one of the Flyers lines this past season. From the fourth to the first, Carcillo was able to insert himself and adapt appropriately.
However, with a player like Carcillo comes a bit of risk as he is not always responsible and can make unfavorable decisions. He has showed a certain amount of offensive flair. However, while going into next season with such a skilled forward group it is more likely that Carcillo will find himself nestled on the Flyers third and fourth lines for the majority of the year.
What this Means for Carcillo
For Carcillo, he gets another year with a team that seems to suit his style of play. The Flyers are known to be a hard-nosed, edgy team and the 2010-11 version of the team seems no different. Carcillo also gets to enjoy his third NHL team in only four seasons. Next season should also provide him with a legitimate opportunity to win a Stanley Cup.
Salary Cap Implications
The Carcillo signing has greater implications for the Flyers this off-season. As Holmgren works to try and keep together the core that got him to the Stanley Cup finals last season, he may be forced to part with some skilled players.
Already $1 million over the league cap, the Carcillo signing bumps it to $2.5 million, making it look as though a trade is imminent. Still with third-liner Darroll Powe left to sign and the possibility of having to go out and get a starting goalie, it looks as though Holmgren will have to move fan favorite Simon Gagne.
With a cap hit of $5.2 million, Gagne is the third highest paid forward on the Flyers and would drop the team below the cap, as well as give them some leeway in obtaining a starting goaltender.
Making this move even more likely is the recent signing of Nikolai Zherdev, who is expected to take a top-six forward role for next season. As Zherdev and Gagne are both wingers, it is expected that Zherdev will step in and take Gagne’s place but with a salary of only $2 million.
The good news for Holmgren is that besides Powe he has everyone signed from last season’s Eastern Conference Championship squad. He can also be satisfied with the fact that even without Gagne, Philadelphia probably boasts the top forward core in the league, while still remaining very solid on defence, something Stanley Cup Champions the Chicago Blackhawks were unable to do.
Tags: