What to expect from Cam York’s next contract

Mar 25, 2025, 13:00 EDT

What to expect from Cam York’s next contract

Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The moment the Philadelphia Flyers drafted Cam York, the pick has been forever scrutinized.

The Flyers selected York 14th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, one pick ahead of Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield. Caufield, who was coming off scoring 29 goals in 28 games in his draft year, has gone on to become the electric goal scorer he was projected to be. As for York, his career has been a bit more up and down.

Once thought to be a power-play quarterback and high-end puck mover, York has shifted his game to more of an overall well-rounded rearguard. Still considered capable of running a second-line power play from the back end, York has not become the offensive dynamo he was once projected to be.

York showcased a breakout campaign last season. Finding a groove alongside Travis Sanheim on the Flyers’ top pair, York blossomed into a borderline top-pair defenseman that everyone hoped he would be. Though perhaps not the same caliber of pick as Caufield, York’s play in 2023-24 was to at least high enough to justify the pick.

The 2024-25 season has not gone as well for York, as his point production has taken a nosedive – he registered 10 goals and 30 points through 82 games last season and has just 15 points in 57 games this year – while his overall game has dipped as well. York has even become a healthy scratch this season as his play hit turbulent winds.

York is a pending RFA this summer and is due a new contract. A few months ago, I was told that the Flyers would’ve been comfortable going long-term with York if the AAV was right. At the time, an AAV in the $6.25 million range (that of Sanheim) was something that was said to have made sense; especially with what we know of the rising salary cap in dramatic fashion over the next several seasons, it would’ve made sense had York maintained his pace of play. But with York’s play dipping the way it has, a long-term deal may be too risky for the Flyers – and maybe even the player.

Talking with a source close to the team this morning, there is a sense that York’s camp may be looking for another short-term bridge deal. With York’s play dipping the way it has this season, his agent, Pat Brisson, will not have much leverage in negotiations; given this, locking in on a long-term deal would come with a heavy amount of risk, especially with the cap set to rise as it will in the coming years.

York is three years away from UFA status, so the Flyers will want to avoid a three-year term. You never want to walk your players to free agency in a willing fashion, so the Flyers would be more in line with going the two-year route for York if another short-term deal is the ultimate route. Assuming this is the case, what would be a fair AAV for York on a two-year deal?

On the surface, an AAV in the $4 million to $5 million range would make sense. But those are just hypothesis-driven numbers; you’d have to dive into comparables to find out what York’s dollar value is on a two-year contract.

The first name that jumps out is St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg, who signed a two-year offer sheet last summer to jump ship away from the Edmonton Oilers. Broberg is the same age as York at 24. He signed a two-year deal with the Blues that carries an AAV of just over $4.5 million; while Broberg’s offense has jumped this year (23 points in 59 games), he had barely shown any kind of offense during his time with the Oilers before this season. The contract was more of an overpay by the Blues to get him out of Edmonton, as the numbers show, so it’s not like York’s camp could ask for more than that of Broberg.

The other comparable contract that jumps out is Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, who inked a two-year contract prior to this season. Carrying an AAV of $4 million, Harley’s level of play has made that dollar value an absolute steal. Coming off of 47 points last season, Harley already has 45 points this year and a Team Canada appearance under his belt as an emergency call-up during the 4 Nations Faceoff. The Flyers will surely use Harley’s $4 million cap hit to pull the AAV down for York, but it won’t be hard for the player’s camp to show the former’s deal as a bargain of epic proportions.

All this being considered, I think an AAV in the $4.5 million ballpark is where I’d expect York’s deal to come in at. On a two-year deal, it will take York to 26 years old and a year away from free agency; if all goes as planned, that is when York and (presumably) the Flyers can look to cash in on a longer term deal.

As for York’s long-term status with the Flyers, sources close to the team don’t foresee him being shopped between now and next season. This isn’t to say York is an untouchable and a long-term fixture without question, but even if the Flyers eventually did want to explore possibly moving on from him, now would not be the time to sell low on the American-born defenseman.

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