Flyers ink defenseman Cam York to two-year contract extension

Cam York was cut during training camp last season, but he worked his way back, found his footing full time at the NHL level, and now has earned a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension ($1.6 million average annual value) with the Flyers.

York was a restricted free agent heading into the offseason, and his extension was announced Monday. The 22-year-old defenseman just completed his three-year, $3.925 million rookie deal ($1.308 million AAV).

» READ MORE: Flyers roster: An early look at how the Orange and Black could line up next season

The deal will serve as a bridge deal for York and the Flyers, with York likely poised for a significant pay bump and a long-term extension if he plays to his potential over the next two seasons. With the salary cap staying put this season and projected to rise in the next few years, it also made sense for York’s camp to seek a bridge deal in order to fully cash in down the road.

This past season, York played 20 games in the AHL for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after coach John Tortorella surprisingly cut him during training camp on Oct. 5. Tortorella said he wanted to see York play more aggressively and the AHL would give him the freedom to develop in that area.

York scored three goals with 10 assists in his 20 games before being called up in December. He made his season debut on Dec. 9 in Vegas where he played 17 minutes, 54 seconds in an overtime loss.

» READ MORE: Flyers avoid arbitration, sign center Noah Cates to two-year deal

Following his debut, Tortorella praised York for his improvement. From there, York worked his way up to the second pair alongside Travis Sanheim by his third game. By Dec. 29, York was playing on the first pair with Ivan Provorov and, with a few exceptions, stayed with Provorov through the rest of the season.

York finished with two goals and 20 points in 54 games. He logged a plus-minus rating of minus-1, second best among Flyers defensemen who played more than 15 games. Playing in all situations, he averaged 19:39 a game, sometimes playing as much as 22-25 minutes.

Toward the end of the season, Tortorella said he wanted to see more consistency from York, especially when it comes to how aggressive he is. York is an offensive defenseman, and Tortorella wanted him to be more involved in the offense and create more chances. However, he noted that inconsistency is expected of a young defenseman like York and that he had seen mostly positive things from the blueliner.

Before last season, York had played NHL games in two other seasons. He played in 30 for the Flyers in 2021-22 when the team struggled with injuries. The defenseman had three goals and 10 points and was a minus-14 in his first extended taste of the NHL.

York, the Flyers’ first-round pick (No. 14 overall) in the 2019 draft, attended the University of Michigan for two seasons before signing with the Flyers on April 1, 2021. He made his NHL debut a month later and played three games for the Flyers that season.

He is set to shoulder a much bigger burden this season after the Flyers traded top defenseman Provorov to Columbus this offseason. The team is also reportedly expected to move Tony DeAngelo to the Carolina Hurricanes, but that deal is still being worked out. Given those moves, there’s a good chance York could open next season as the Flyers’ No. 1 defenseman.

» READ MORE: ‘Oh, the game’s about to start’: Behind the scenes of the Ivan Provorov trade

York’s contract extension comes five days before the July 15 signing deadline. The Flyers still have restricted free-agent forwards Morgan Frost and Olle Lycksell to sign. The Flyers also signed center Noah Cates to a two-year, $5.25 million extension Monday. Cates had previously elected for arbitration, but the two sides were able to reach an agreement before being assigned a hearing with a third-party arbitrator.