NHL
Flyers Defenseman Robert Hägg Signed for Two Years
Robert Hägg signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers that carries an average annual value of $1.15 million. His contribution to the team did not go unnoticed. Hägg had 238 hits during 2017-18, ranking seventh in the NHL and the most by a rookie last year. Offensive tallies included three goals and nine points over 70 games.
The Swedish defenseman was selected 41st overall during the 2013 draft. He spent the first two years of his entry-level contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He played one game with the Flyers during 2016-17 before joining the team full-time during 2017-18.
A late-season lower-body injury kept him out for three games, but he returned for two games in mid-March. He was then listed as a healthy scratch for the remainder of the regular season. Hägg did have some post-season exposure, playing in two of the Flyers Round 1 games against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As the final restricted free agent that needed to be signed, the Flyers have $12.07 million in cap space remaining. With a full 23-man roster and 48 of the 50 allowed contracts, it’s unlikely that any more moves will be made.
Bridge Deal Evaluation
When Hägg’s two-year bridge deal ends, he will be a restricted free agent again. This allows the Flyers more time to determine their next move. The organization has so much depth and it’s a matter of who has the potential to perform.
Hägg is solid. He isn’t afraid to block shots or get physical when he needs to. He’s a good fit for the team as it stands and he can progress his game during this contract. However, one of their other prospects might be a better fit for the team given a little more training.
If last season had gone as planned, Hägg would have been battling for his position with Samuel Morin. Both are left-handed defensemen with a similar playing style, but Morin suffered multiple injuries that shortened his season. He played two games with the Flyers and only 15 with the Phantoms.
Morin is most likely to make his way onto the team if he’s able to heal from surgery during the offseason, but Noah Cates is also showing promise. It would be easy for him to slot in if he is successful in his next couple of seasons in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
His offensive record with the Omaha Lancers in the USHL was impressive for a 19-year-old defenseman. In 60 games played, Cates had 21 goals and 55 points. Moving up to a college team will give him experience with more strenuous play.
