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Broad Street Bull

Timonen, Flyers sign pact

The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Flyers Report: Broad Street Bull

74 comments

Timonen, Flyers sign pact

POSTED: Wednesday, February 6, 2013, 10:34 PM

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

UPDATE: The Flyers announced before Thursday's game that they had signed Timonen.

The Flyers will sign veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen to a one-year, $6 million extension in the next few days, a league source confirmed Wednesday night.

Timonen, who will turn 38 next month, would have been eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in July. He has a $6.3 million cap hit this season.

The signing is somewhat surprising because it would mean the Flyers have already committed about $62.1 million on just 19 players --including the injured Chris Pronger -- toward next year's $64.3 million cap.

Excluding Pronger, they will have about $23 milion committed to seven defensemen for 2013-14.

They will also have an option of using an amnesty buyout on up to two players.

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Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.

74 comments

Comments (74)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:53 AM, 02/07/2013

This is simply the Flyers holding onto a valuable veteran leader to continue the development of the other D men. Kimmo is a step slower but let's be honest he still plays more soundly than a lot of the other D men plus experience-wise he can help the Schenn's and Gustafsson's adjust more easily and give them a pointer or 10. Factor in Pronger is done and the Flyers need Timmo's presence more than ever until they can another veteran through free agency after the season and have Timmo transition the D leadership reigns over. As for the 6mil, I am sure there's some pro-rated amounts in there and other adjustments we do not know about which will make the total lower and come on the guy has been solid for the Flyers since they day they signed him. Remember what happened to the Eagles D when Dawkins left? They literally were not the same and that first season without Dawk the talent wasn't that different.

— Hockey Head

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:57 AM, 02/07/2013

Kimmo hasn't lost a step; in fact, he's one of the few defenseman that performs consistently. Blocked shots, digging the puck from the corner...Timmo does it all. He's worth every cent of that contract extension.

— dogman5

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:04 AM, 02/07/2013

Nitro: He is WAY TOO SLOW. He gets beat to the puck everytime. And if it turns into a breakaway, that's an automatic goal because Bryz can't stop a breakaway. I know, Bryz has been really good this year, but he's still very weak when it comes to breakaways/shoot outs.

— dundermifflin

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:21 AM, 02/07/2013

I think its a mistake commiting that much money to an old injury prone defenseman. As much of a class guy with an All Star career he is 6 m against a reduced cap next year is crazy....There isnt a team in the league that would pay him that much next year he is not close to one of the top 5 D men around. Why not offer him 3m for 1 yr with a guaranteed 5yr job in the Flyers front office at say 1m per year after he retires?? You just cant commit that kind of money when you know their will be all sorts of free agents and players cut next yr with buyouts...also why do it now when you can do it over the summer??not a smart move Homer...

— flyers1000

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:02 AM, 02/07/2013

Yes, damn those "old injury prone defensemen." Games played starting with last year and going backwards: 76, 82, 82, 77, 80, 80, 79, 77, 72, 82, 82. And I don't think he has missed any playoff games.

I believe he has missed 13 total games as a Flyer over 5 seasons. Makes me wish all our guys were "old injury prone" players.

— snipesmorris

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:22 AM, 02/07/2013

Can they amnesty Pronger?

— element_104

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:34 AM, 02/07/2013

He gets 6 from the Flyers or he gets 6 from another club this summer. Losing him is not an option at this time based on what else could be available this summer. It's really that simple. My hope is that Gustafsson can develop into a Carle-like player soon. Even IF that happens, once Timonen retires, the top pairing is lacking. It surprises me that the media supports a trade that would allow young players and picks to leave for a player like Iginla, Ryan, Weiss, Perry or Getzlaf. If I were to make a trade, it would be to land land All-Star Keith Yandle. Otherwise, our concern about the blueline continues for years.

— Richie Captain

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:37 AM, 02/07/2013

Any chance this contract is not just an extension, but perhaps moving some money from this year to next to free up cap space to make a move this year? Not sure if that's even possible in the NHL, but then the 6M would make more sense.

— nyphillyguy

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:43 AM, 02/07/2013

This signing would be a good move. Timonen is still a bonafide defenseman in the NHL in his late thirties. He can move the puck well, is an excellent skater and PP quarterback, his positional play is great, he is a great teammate and a leader who brings experience to the young and upcoming blueliners. It is of the greatest importance that it's a one-year contract, I don't think it is that important whether it's 5 or 6 million. It's something of a symbolic act on the part of Homer if Timonen stays at his 6 million level.

— flyerdommo

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 9:58 AM, 02/07/2013

6 Million? Well, call it a home town bonus, I suppose. I like the dude quite a bit though, and aging or not he's still one of our best D-Men. That's probably sad too, but I can't think of all those implications just this second.

— WestonF01

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:01 AM, 02/07/2013

Timmo has been solid ever since we got him, for him being that old he's still 1 of our top D men.. good signing, better to sign some1 like that, than start grabing for straws on some bums! I cant complain on this 1.. Atleast they didnt give Pronger an extention...........

— trimski1

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 10:04 AM, 02/07/2013

I've always liked Kimmo, but FlyerBacker88 is right that he's not a $6 million player any more. They could have signed him for less since no other team would have given him 6 mil. Lavi will have to rest him during the season because he was really beaten and worn down at the end of las year.

— Ken Spencer