In a stunner that already has had an effect on the Flyers' offseason moves, defenseman Matt Niskanen has decided to end a quality 13-year career.
General manager Chuck Fletcher confirmed the retirement on Monday afternoon. A short time later, he announced the Flyers had re-signed veteran defenseman Justin Braun to a two-year contract that carries an annual $1.8 million cap hit. Braun had a $3.8 million cap hit last season.
Braun, 33, could have become an unrestricted free agent Friday.
Niskanen, 33, was part of the Flyers' No. 1 pairing in 2019-20. He stabilized the game of his defensive partner, Ivan Provorov, and helped the Flyers' defense improve from 29th (3.41 goals-against per game) in 2018-19 to tied for seventh this season (2.77 goals-against per game).
Fletcher said Niskanen helped change the Flyers' culture with his veteran presence, and that he played a major role in the team's on-ice progress.
"He won't be an easy player to replace," Fletcher said.
A day after the season ended with a 4-0 Game 7 playoff loss to the Islanders, Niskanen told Fletcher about his intentions to retire. Fletcher asked him to think it over before finalizing his decision.
He did, but he didn't change his mind.
Niskanen "felt it was time," Fletcher said, adding that being away from his family for so long during the postseason _ and the uncertainty that the pandemic has brought to next season _ impacted Niskanen's decision.
It was not a health-related decision, Fletcher added.
Niskanen, a Minnesota native, had one year left on a contract that had a $5.75 million cap hit. Like many of his veteran teammates, he struggled at times in this year's postseason, notching two points and an "even" rating in 15 games.
With Niskanen's contract off the books, will the Flyers make a run at a No. 1 defenseman like Alex Pietrangelo, 30, a pending free agent who had a $6.5 million cap hit last season with St. Louis?
Other potential free-agent defensemen include Boston's Torey Krug, Toronton's Tyson Barrie, Tampa Bay's Kevin Shattenkirk, Pittsburgh's Justin Schultz. and Washington's Radko Gudas. All of the above, including Pietrangelo, are righthanded (like Niskanen) except Krug.
Niskanen, who won a Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018, had eight goals (tied for the second-highest total in his career), 33 points, and a plus-15 ranking in his first and only season with the Flyers. He played 13 seasons in a career that also had stops with Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Washington.
