The Myth of Matt Carle's Pronger-Inflated Numbers

Regardless of your opinion of the contract Tampa Bay signed with Matt Carle, we should all be honest about the facts, including how much Chris Pronger impacted Carle's numbers

NHL Free Agency 2012: Ruslan Fedotenko, Bruno Gervais Sign With Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Thursday that they have signed forward Ruslan Fedotenko and defenseman Bruno Gervais to one-year contracts.

TSN reports that Fedotenko will be paid $1.75 million and Gervais will make $825,000. Fedotenko is known as a solid two-way player, scoring nine goals and 11 assists with the New York Rangers last season. Gervais spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. His signing will likely do little more than provide depth, as he's not considered a top-tier defender.

The two new Flyers are very good friends, according to Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Holmgren said Talbot is the best man in Gervais' upcoming wedding.

— Frank Seravalli (@DNFlyers) July 5, 2012

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on 2012 NHL free agency and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Lightning Sign D Matt Carle

The Tampa Bay Lightning signed free agent defenseman Matt Carle to a six-year contract. Whispers of the agreement started floating around Twitter earlier in the evening on Wednesday, and the team confirmed the news at about 9:45 p.m. Eastern.

The Lightning have signed defenseman Matt Carle to a six-year contract tonight, Steve Yzerman has announced.

— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) July 5, 2012

Frank Seravalli of the Philadelphia Daily News reported that the six-year deal was worth $33 million.

After missing out on free agent Ryan Suter, who was signed by the Wild, the Flyers were believed to be interested in re-signing Carle, who spent the last three and a half years of his career in Philadelphia.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Flyers were said to be nearing a deal with yeoman blueliner Bruno Gervais, who played for the Lightning last season. Reports of that deal had said not to rule out an attempt at Carle too, but that proved to be wrong.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Flyers Close To Signing Bruno Gervais

The Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly close to signing free agent defenseman Bruno Gervais. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Wednesday evening that the team and Gervais were nearing a deal.

Gervais started his professional career with the Islanders. He spent last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring six goals and seven assists, averaging more than 14 minutes of ice time per game. A solid journeyman, Gervais gives Philadelphia another right-handed shot from the blue line.

Financial terms of the deal were unknown at the time. He had a $525,000 salary with Tampa Bay last season, and figures to be a more modestly priced acquisition than Matt Carle. The Inquirer notes, however, that the addition of Gervais does not necessarily rule out the pursuit of Carle.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Philadelphia Flyers Going To Plan B After Missing On Zach Parise, Ryan Suter

The Philadelphia Flyers are still looking to land a big name NHL free agent after Zach Parise decided to sign with the Minnesota Wild. The Wild pulled off a coup by signing both Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter on Wednesday (via NHL). Both players took less money than the Flyers were reportedly offering to go home to Minnesota.

So who will the Flyers focus on now? Philadelphia will reportedly try to re-sign defenseman Matt Carle (via Philly.com). However, after missing on Suter, the Flyers might have to pay more money than they would like just to keep Carle.

Other targets are Anaheim's Bobby Ryan, Columbus' Rick Nash and free agent Shane Doan (all three players are forwards).

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Jaromir Jagr Signs 1-Year, $4.5 Million Deal With Dallas Stars, According To Report

Jaromir Jagr will not be back in a Philadelphia Flyers uniform next season, according to a report. Jagr has reportedly signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million with the Dallas Stars (Pierre LeBrun's Twitter). The Flyers paid Jagr $3.3 million last season.

Jagr, 40, had 19 goals and 35 assists for the Flyers last season and one goal and 7 assists in Philadelphia's playoff run. Six of his playoff assists came on the power-play. The 18-year NHL veteran is just 12 assists shy of 1,000 for his career. The right winger only played with the Flyers for one season of his career.

The Flyers traded winger James van Riemsdyk to the Maple Leafs earlier this offseason for a defenseman (Luke Schenn) so they are definitely in the market for talent on the wings. Philadelphia is still waiting, as are several other teams, on the decision on New Jersey Devils free agent left winger Zach Parise.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey.

Zach Parise Rumors: Flyers One Of Highest Bidders, Wait On Decision

The Philadelphia Flyers could be one move away from improving their team for 2012-13, the only problem is they need to sit and wait on the decision of coveted free agent forward Zach Parise. Like a half dozen NHL franchises, the Flyers are waiting for the final decision, which could come sometime Tuesday, on if Parise is picking their team or not.

According to reports, the Flyers are currently one of the highest bidders for Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, who both have gotten 12-year offers worth more than $80 million from Philly.

"We're just focused on the two free agents," one Flyers executive said when asked whether the team had made any headway in trade talks for Anaheim's Bobby Ryan or Columbus' Rick Nash.

If the Flyers can't land Parise or Suter, then Shane Doan and possibly Shea Weber are their next targets, reports Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

All-in-all, its a wait and see game for the Flyers who are desperately looking to make a splashing during the NHL's free agent period.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

NHL Free Agency 2012: Flyers Re-Sign Backup Goaltender Michael Leighton

The Philadelphia Flyers have tried to improve their team during the offseason mostly by trades, but on Sunday the Flyers made its first move in free agency by re-signing backup goaltender Michael Leighton. The veteran will spend his third year in the Flyers organization and will reportedly make $900,000.

The new deal comes a season after Leighton made just one NHL start and spent most of his time with the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms. Leighton couldn't break the NHL roster because starter Ilya Bryzgalov and backup Sergei Bobrovsky got most of the playing time. Bobrovsky, however, was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2012 NHL Draft, and Leighton, who made 27 starts in 2010-11, will fill-in that gap.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.

Flyers Free Agency Rumors 2012: Philadelphia In The Running For Justin Schultz, According To Reports

Early into the NHL's offseason period, the Philadelphia Flyers have made a commitment to upgrade their defense. And that trend looks to be continuing, as the Flyers are now rumored to be interested in free agent Justin Schultz.

The Flyers, who have already acquired defenseman Luke Schenn via trade, are a viable option for Schultz thinks Tim Pacaccio of Philadelphia's Comcast SportsNet:

Here’s the rub: It’s a level playing field. Because Schultz will still be 21 on July 1, he can be offered only an entry-level deal, which in this case is $925,000 in this last year of the current CBA with a cap hit of $3.8 million – including bonuses.

Schultz, who was drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in 2008 but has yet to sign, is 6-foot-2, 185-pound defenseman who turns just 22-years-old in early July.

According to the report, Schultz's biggest want is an "ironclad guarantee" that he'll make an NHL roster this coming fall.

You can read more about the Philadelphia Flyers at Broad Street Hockey. For more on the NHL draft and additional news, notes and analysis around the league during the season and offseason, be sure to check out SB Nation's dedicated hub page.