The Philadelphia Flyers signed No. 1 center Sean Couturier to an eight-year contract extension worth $62 million.
Couturier counts $7.75 million against the salary cap with his contract that begins after next season and runs through 2029-30. It’s the same value as the contract Andrei Svechnikov agreed to with the Carolina Hurricanes earlier Thursday.
“As one of the premier two-way centers in the NHL, Sean has the rare talent to shut down opposing teams’ top players while also contributing at a high offensive level,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said in a news release. “He carries an enormous presence inside our dressing room due to his preparation, determination and drive to win.”
Couturier won the Selke Trophy in 2020 as the league’s best defensive forward. He had 18 goals and 23 assists last season. The eighth pick in the 2011 draft, he has 443 points in 692 regular-season games and 22 more in the Stanley Cup playoffs, while often playing through injury.
The contract carries a full no-movement clause for the first seven years and a limited no-trade after that. In the eighth year, Couturier must submit a list of 10 teams to which he’d agree to be traded.
Signing the 28-year-old solidifies Philadelphia’s center depth for the long term with Kevin Hayes under contract through 2026 and prospect Morgan Frost expected to become a full-time NHL player soon.
“To be part of the Flyers organization for another eight years following next year is extremely exciting,” Couturier said. “I like the way the team is built and the mix of players that we have. I’m really looking forward to it but especially this year. We’ve made a lot of changes, but it’s all positive and very exciting.”
After an underachieving 2020-21 season, Fletcher revamped the roster starting on the back end by acquiring defensemen Ryan Ellis and Rasmus Ristolainen and signing Keith Yandle. The Flyers also signed goaltender Martin Jones, brought back depth forward Nate Thompson and on Wednesday added veteran Derick Brassard.
The biggest lingering question facing Philadelphia now is the future of captain Claude Giroux, who is set to be a free agent next summer. Giroux is currently the highest-paid player on the roster with a cap hit of $8.275 million.