Bobby Ryan Hoping Flyers Extend Offer in NHL Free Agency

Recently bought out forward Bobby Ryan has his eyes set on one particular team as free agency opens in the second week of October. While the former Ottawa Senator will likely have a few choices now that he’s a pending unrestricted free agent, he’s hoping one team expresses interest.

Ryan recently spoke on the possibility of playing for the Philadelphia Flyers and said it would be incredible if the Flyers were to extend an offer. Essentially, he told NBC Sports that he’d basically take any chance to play for the team he grew up cheering for. He noted, “if the Flyers were to make an offer or extend a camp invite, they’d move high on my list because of all the connections.” 

While he’s not likely to receive anything close to the type of money he was making when he signed a lucrative deal with the Senators, this next season might not be about the money for a player who’s trying to re-invent himself in the NHL, in a manner of speaking. Ryan has already drawn interest from other teams but he might elect to go to a place that he feels most comfortable and one that gives him the best opportunity to show he’s still a valuable commodity. It might all about producing in the right situation.

As per an article on NHL.com, Ryan said. “Really, the opportunity [to sign with the Flyers] has never presented itself. I’m not sure if it will this time around… ” He added, “For me, it’s about finishing correctly; I’ve got a lot of the other things in my life settled now and continuing to try to get better with my treatments,” he said.

Ryan Writing the Final Chapter

Now 33, it’s strange to think that a player who could still have some good years left would be thinking about the end of his NHL career, but Ryan noted this could about his last few chapters in the NHL. He believes this is his time to potentially end on a strong note. He explained, “but it’s never rang more true for me because of all the stuff I’ve been through in the last year.”

Ryan has scored 555 points (254 goals, 301 assists) in 833 regular-season NHL games and if he can find the right fit, one never knows. Perhaps he can rejuvenate his career and play for another few seasons.

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