According to the initial report on Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, the gritty blue-liner was all-but signed pending a passed physical. Well, the physical results are in, but Tollefsen remains just “a player of interest.”
“He checked out OK,” General Manager Paul Holmgren told the media.
“There is no direction that we are taking right now. We’re going to wait and see and get things in order. He is a player of interest.”
Holmgren slated Tollefsen as a sixth or seventh defenseman. And despite the fact that the Flyers are in need of an NHL-ready insurance policy on defense, they need cap relief more than anything.
What may be stalling the Tollefsen signing or any free agent acquisition, is a possible trade. Holmgren may be posturing in hopes that a deal for either Randy Jones ($2.75 million cap hit) or Matt Carle ($3.43 million cap hit) can be made, with Tollefsen and his $600,000-900,000 cap friendly contract waiting as a ready and money-saving replacement.
The saved cash, as much as $2 million, could be used to land the scoring forward that Holmgren has expressed interest in signing, while also having the money to nab a seventh, NHL-ready insurance defender.
Now the question is: Who wants an expensive, c-grade defensive point producer?
Phila.Bright 