Flyers part with Cam Atkinson as the NHL draft and free agency begin

Atkinson, who was acquired in a trade for Jakub Voráček in 2021, scored just 13 goals in 70 games this past season.

Cam Atkinson scored 36 goals in 143 games for the Flyers.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

Published June 28, 2024, 12:57 p.m. ET

LAS VEGAS — The writing had been on the wall for some time and became official Friday morning.

After a season in which the veteran forward’s ice time was chopped and he sat in the press box as a healthy scratch for a dozen games, the Flyers decided to part ways with Cam Atkinson and buy out the remaining year of his contract.

“When it comes to someone with the accomplishments and character of Cam, this was an exceptionally tough decision to make,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière stated in the Flyers’ press release.

“Throughout his time with the Flyers, Cam has displayed an incredible work ethic and level of professionalism that is a true credit to him as a player and person. I’ve witnessed firsthand the amount of effort, dedication, and perseverance he went through during an incredibly tough rehabilitation process in order to come back and be a leader for our team on and off the ice.”

Acquired in a one-for-one trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jakub Voráček in July 2021, Atkinson registered 78 points (36 goals, 42 assists) in 143 regular-season games. He missed the entire 2022-23 season after undergoing surgery to repair a herniated disc in his C6 and C7 vertebrae and struggled to refind his game this past season. The 35-year-old Connecticut native notched just 13 goals and 28 points in 70 games in just under 16 minutes a game — his lowest average since his third season in the league.

“For the first [part] of the season, I had a lot of juice in the tank. I was playing well, scoring goals, and putting up points, that sort of thing,” he said after the season ended. “I think the second half kind of got away from me a little bit as far as the wear and tear and grind. I’m not going to sugarcoat it that way, but I still feel like I have a lot of juice left in the tank.”

Atkinson had one year remaining on a seven-year contract he signed with Columbus with an average annual value — and cap hit — of $5.875 million. According to PuckPedia, the buyout period will be two years and save the Flyers $3,516,667. They will have a cap hit in the first year of $2,358,333 and $1,758,333 in Year 2. The Flyers also will have a cap hit of $1,666,667 for Tony DeAngelo, whom they bought out last July, and still have retained salary on Kevin Hayes.

Atkinson is on unconditional waivers because his contract did not have a no-movement clause, the Flyers confirmed.

Brière told The Inquirer at the NHL Scouting Combine that Cal Petersen also is a buyout candidate, but nothing has been announced yet.

After this week’s NBA Draft, the 76ers are gearing up for a crucial free-agency period beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday. With ample salary-cap space available, the Sixers are in position to make significant moves to bolster their roster around All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Join Inquirer beat reporters Gina Mizell and Keith Pompey as they recap the flurry of initial signings for the Sixers and around the league. They will also explore which players could still be available, and discuss the overall league landscape and where that leaves the Sixers in the Eastern Conference. Tune into this detailed preview of what could be a transformative period for the 76ers.