The Philadelphia Flyers inked restricted free agent (RFA) Morgan Forst to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension after a couple months of stalling. With the term of this deal being rather short, he will still be an RFA by the time it expires after the 2024-25 season.
The deal is finally done, but Frost’s future in Philadelphia is still murky, much like many other players during a rebuilding effort. Even though he is just 24, another contract with the team after this deal will be largely determined by how he performs over the next two seasons. If he proves to be a top-six staple, he could stay. If not, he could be on the way out. This is a benefit for both the Flyers and Frost alike.
Frost on the Trajectory to Remain a Flyer
Frost had a rather impressive 2022-23 campaign, putting up a career-high in goals (19), assists (27), and points (46) in 81 games. This doesn’t really tell the whole story about how he fared, however. He was much better than his offensive numbers suggest.
During the months of October and November, Frost was averaging just over 14 minutes of ice time per game. When he was in this predicament, he only scored six points through his first 27 games. At the start, last season looked like another throwaway for the young center. As fate would have it, he improved tremendously when given opportunities to do so by head coach John Tortorella. In the last two-thirds of the season, he had 40 points in 54 games, which would be on pace for 60 points in an 82-game season.
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Frost has the potential to improve on this, given the possibility of a more consistent role in the Flyers’ lineup over the course of his contract. The key for him is to keep getting better. His play suggests that he will, and that would likely result in another deal with the Flyers. If he cannot, then he would probably earn a contract elsewhere. Thankfully, the Flyers could still get some capital in return with his rights remaining with them after the deal is up.
Flyers Preaching Cap Space
As has been the case with several of their moves, the Flyers have opted for short-term deals with low average annual value (AAV). Cap space was a consistent struggle for the team under former general manager (GM) Chuck Fletcher, even when the team was not competitive. With the team handing out affordable deals to both Noah Cates and Cam York, Frost joins a rather inspiring club.
The Flyers are changing their philosophy under new GM Danny Briere. In maximizing cap space, they have the freedom to make moves such as acquiring the contract of Cal Petersen for draft picks. Instead of extending the three RFAs for longer term, the team chose to give themselves some flexibility in the future. Unless it is absolutely necessary to hand out money, this probably won’t change. Although Frost is a great player, the idea behind his contract makes sense. They are free to acquire as much draft capital as they please if they want to take on some albatross contracts as long as they have the funds to do it. In the modern NHL, cap space is one of the most valuable things a team can have. The Flyers’ management is now preaching it.
Frost Will Have to Prove He’s Not Expendable
Even if Frost is good, he is still not in the clear to earn a massive payday from the Flyers. Since the team is in a rebuild with an abundance of young forward talent, he could be on the outside looking in. Briere will constantly be looking to ship off some parts. As the youth starts to enter the lineup, the 24-year-old will have to prove that he is better than them.
With forward prospects such as Cutter Gauthier, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, and Bobby Brink coupled with players on the roster such as Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett who could take his spot in the top-six, Frost will have his work cut out for him. There will be teams that can find more use for him than the Flyers if he does not evolve, which could make him an expendable piece. As the rebuild continues, the team will only further bolster their prospect core. He will have to be excellent.
The Flyers got the extension done, but there is a lot of work to be done for both sides. The player bet on himself, while the Flyers bet on the best interest of the team. This deal can still be mutually beneficial even if Frost does not have a long-term future in Philadelphia. A trade in two seasons would likely suggest that Philadelphia is on the right path to contention.