There will be no contract year for Travis Konecny.
The Flyers signed their All-Star and leading scorer Thursday to an eight-year, $70 million extension. The deal has an average annual value of $8.75 million, making Konecny the Flyers' highest-paid player starting next season (2025-26).
The contract has a full no-move clause for the first six years and a limited no-trade clause for the final two years, according to a source.
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The 27-year-old winger just entered the final year of his six-year, $33 million deal and was in line for a pretty good raise from his $5.5 million average annual value. His new deal has him under contract in Philadelphia through the 2032-33 season.
"One of the biggest things for me was I just wanted to get this over with and make sure that there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to be a Flyer for life," Konecny said Thursday in a Zoom press conference. "What we have been working toward and what I believe that this team can be, this is where I wanted to be. It was pretty easy for me to make the decision that I was going to stay here as long as possible."
The last two seasons convinced the Flyers that Konecny was not their best trade chip for a rebuild but instead their best player, a guy that fit their timeline and could lead a younger team.
"Travis Konecny is an integral part of the fabric of our team and we are thrilled to have him under contract for the long-term," Flyers general manager Danny Briere said in a statement released by the club. "Travis has grown into a significant leader on our team and he truly embodies what it means to be a Flyer. His work ethic, combined with his tenacity and talent makes him a central figure for what we are building towards, and his determination for our future success speaks volumes about his commitment to our team and city."
Philadelphia Flyers
In 2023-24, Konecny delivered career highs in goals (33) and points (68) as he made his second All-Star Game. He was the heartbeat of a team that overachieved by pushing for the playoffs through Game 82 but fell short because of a 2-7-2 finish.
Over the last two seasons, Konecny has put up 129 points (64 goals, 65 assists) in 136 games. He has played just under 20 minutes per game and his nine shorthanded goals lead the NHL.
"I think his inner confidence has grown that he can be a great player; not a good player, that he can be a great player," Flyers head coach John Tortorella said last December. "And that he can put some people on his shoulders and carry."
More: Konecny earned his money and Flyers were fine to give it to him
When Briere took over as interim general manager in March 2023 and expressed an openness to the idea of rebuilding, Konecny wanted to be a part of it.
"Been through a lot of good times and also down times," Konecny said then. "So when you go through that stuff as a team and some of the guys that have been here, it would mean that much more when you can get to the end goal and winning. It means a lot to be a part of a process like that."
He'll now look to prove he can be the guy who eventually pushes the Flyers back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 bubble.
"I look at if I get the opportunity to win a Stanley Cup, which I believe we can do in Philly, it wouldn't feel like an accomplishment unless it was with the Flyers and the team that believed in me," Konecny said. "I believe in the Flyers, as well. I've always been in it for the long haul and I'm really, really excited for the next chapter here."
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