The Flyers formally announced earlier today that they have signed an entry level contract with prospect Marcel Noebels. Noebels was drafted just a few weeks ago in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Due to the fact that he’s only 19, the contract does not count towards the 50 maximum contracts that the Flyers are allowed to have, assuming he doesn’t make the team in the fall.
Noebels played with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL last season, where he posted 28 goals and 22 assists in his first year in North America. According to a story released by the Krefeld Penguins (as translated by Teemu of Broad Street Hockey), he told reporters during training camp that he had received an offer to play for his old team in the DEL (Deutsche Eishockey Liga) but he would wait until he spoke with upper management before making a decision. The DEL would provide better competition than the WHL, but staying in North America would allow him to further develop his skills in a smaller, faster rink environment.
Based on the fact that he now has a contract, he’s likely to remain in the WHL.
Meanwhile, RDS hockey reporter Renaud P. Lavoie has tweeted that Phantom Jon Kalinski has accepted his qualifying offer from the Flyers. The deal is reportedly a one-year, two-way contract worth $605,000. This is, without a doubt, Kalinski’s last chance to break the roster. He’s the same age as Phantom Ben Holmstrom and plays a similar role as a defensive-minded penalty killing forward, but he will have to impress at training camp if he is to exceed Holmstrom on the depth chart.
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Meaningless signings, that are depth signings for the Phantoms. Kalinski has as much chance as me, to make the Flyers roster. Wake me up when they trade for Stamkos or another scorer. This team will be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Too many what if’s & changes.
May have to call this FLyers LIne-Up … “Flyers-Lite” for the amount of Goals they will Score.. It will be interesting to see if they can score more Goals as Phillies score Runs…Good Grief…