The Philadelphia Flyers have come to terms on a new contract with Mark Friedman. The Flyers announced the two-year contract extension earlier today. The deal is a one-way contract that will pay Friedman $725k annually. The contract represents Friedman’s first one-way deal with an NHL team.
DONE DEAL: @friedsyy inks a new two-year, one-way contract extension. https://t.co/AY6qM0zcBK
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 13, 2020
Mark Friedman Sticks with Philadelphia
Friedman, a 24-year-old defender, was selected in the third round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. After the draft, the defender played three seasons at Bowling Green State University in the NCAA. At the conclusion of his junior season, Friedman signed with the Flyers.
Since going professional, the Ontario native has played mostly in the AHL, only racking up seven games of NHL experience to his name thus far. In those seven games, the defender has registered just one assist. In 45 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Friedman scored three goals and 15 helpers for 18 points.
Analysis
Friedman may not be the biggest name in the Flyers’ farm system, nor do his numbers jump off the page. What Friedman does possess, however, is an intriguing bundle of attributes that may make him a valuable piece on the Flyers blue line in the future.
The two main attributes of Friedman’s game are his mobility and his tenacity. The defender earned solid reviews from Head Coach Alain Vigneault, who said about the defender:
“Mark is a good skater. That’s one of his biggest strengths. For the most part, [he makes] high-percentage plays, good gaps, good in one-on-ones.”
Despite being a relatively small defender at 5’11 and 192 pounds, Friedman also possesses a physical edge to his game that makes life miserable for attacking players. This was especially true during his college days at Bowling Green. Friedman’s head coach at Bowling Green, Chris Bergeron, had this to say about the defender’s physical prowess: “When he decides to take away time and space, he is really hard to play against because he skates and he competes. He’ll fight you for it.”
As Friedman becomes more comfortable at the professional level, it is likely this will become a tool once again. This attribute will serve the defender well and his speed and mobility, combined with his high-compete level, make Friedman an intriguing option for the Flyers moving forward.
Main image credit: Embed from Getty Images
