April 10, 2015

Flyers sign defenseman Brandon Manning to one-year extension

By Matt Mullin
PhillyVoice Staff

Matt Slocum/AP

Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning.

On the eve of their season finale, the Flyers announced a contract extension for one of their young defenseman, 24-year-old Brandon Manning. The deal will be for one year, according to general manager Ron Hextall, however financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Manning, who originally signed with the Flyers in November of 2010, appeared in 10 games with the Flyers this season and notched three assists to go with his plus-3 rating. He has played 20 career games with Philadelphia, having previously appeared in four games during the 2011-12 season and six in 2012-13.

Manning spent most of this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he tallied 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) in 58 games. He was also named an AHL all-star for the second time in his career. In four seasons with the Phantoms (242 games), the 6-1, 195-pound defenseman has recorded 114 points (31 goals, 83 assists) to go with 597 PIM.

According to The Daily News' Frank Seravalli, it is a "one-way" deal, meaning there is no minor league option. That's important because the Flyers roster, as currently constructed, contains seven defensemen, all of whom are on one-way deals:

With Manning signed, the Flyers now have seven defensemen on one-way contracts for next season - and that does not include restricted free agent Michael Del Zotto.

Mark Streit - $5.25 million
Andrew MacDonald - $5 million
Luke Schenn - $3.6 million
Nick Grossmann - $3.5 million
Nick Schultz - $2.25 million
Radko Gudas - $992,000
Brandon Manning - financial terms not immediately available.

[via philly.com]

Seravalli also points to Oliver Lauridsen as a recent example of how a one-way contract does not include a guaranteed place on the roster. Therefore, it appears Manning will have to earn a spot, unless of course the Flyers deal someone in the offseason.