Flyers to buy out final season of Cam Atkinson’s contract originally appeared in NBC Sports Philadelphia
On the first day of the 2024 NHL Draft, the Flyers made the final decision on Cam Atkinson.
The club will buy out the remainder of the veteran winger’s contract, making Atkinson an unrestricted free agent.
The 35-year-old was scheduled to be in the final year of a seven-year, $41.125 million contract ($5.875 million cap hit) he originally signed with the Blue Jackets.
Per PuckPedia. with, with the acquisition, Atkinson’s cap hit will be $2.358 million in 2024-25 and $1.758 million the following season. So for 2024-25, the Flyers will save $3.517 million on their original cap hit.
Atkinson’s role has diminished over the course of the 2023-24 season and he appeared open to a change of scenery in his exit interview.
“I know the player I am and I will never lose sight of who I am and what made me the player I am today and what got me to this level.” Atkinson said in April after the season. “I still feel like I have a lot of energy left in the tank for the right situation.”
The Flyers had to call Atkinson before Monday. Sunday marks the last day clubs can buy a player.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere released the following statement on Friday:
“When it comes to someone of Cam’s accomplishments and character, this was an exceptionally difficult decision to make.
“Throughout his time with the Flyers, Cam has demonstrated an incredible work ethic and level of professionalism that is a true credit to him as a player and as a person. I witnessed firsthand the amount of effort, dedication and perseverance he went through during an incredibly difficult rehab process to come back and be a leader for our team on and off the ice.
“I would like to thank Cam for everything he has done to raise the standard of our team. Cam will always have a place in the Flyers organization and we wish him and his family every success in the future.”
Throughout his three years in Philadelphia, Atkinson was a true professional and a responsible player. He won the Bobby Clarke Trophy as the team’s MVP in his first season. But after missing the entire 2022-23 campaign because of a neck injury that required surgeryhis production and minutes dropped in what turned out to be his final season with the Flyers.
He finished the year with 28 points (13 goals, 15 assists) and a minus-22 rating in 70 games. A player with 770 career NHL games and a 41-goal season under his belt, Atkinson has dealt with healthy scratches and played just 10:50 minutes per game in his last 13 games. In the Flyers’ significant regular-season finale, a 2-1 loss to the Capitals, Atkinson was on the ice for just 4:41 minutes. since John Tortorella considerably shortened the bank.
The Flyers have plenty of young guys at Atkinson’s right wing position, recently fueled by the imminent arrival of the main candidate Matvei Michkov. They also have Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink and Samu Tuomaala knocking on the door, right wingers, all aged 25 or under.
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