Like it or hate it, Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren wants Jeff Carter in Orange and Black for years to come.
In a report by CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Pannacio, Holmgren and Carter’s agent, Rick Curran, have been in productive discussions to extend the 25-year-old upcoming restricted free agent.
“We’re moving forward and I believe we’re making progress,” Curran said. “But that’s as far as I’ll go.”
To Holmgren, a new deal between Carter and the Flyers is a given.
“Sooner or later it’s going to get done,” said the GM. “It’s not like it’s a hostile negotiations where it’s this or the offer is off the table. It’s not like that.”
The length however, is something that is still being discussed. On the final season of a three-year, $15 million deal, Carter, an inconsistent but potent offensive threat, will likely want a raise. Whether that comes in terms of years or money will be up to Holmgren and Curran.
“That’s the hard part,” Holmgren said. “If you want a smaller cap number, you’ve got to give more years. “It’s delicate.”
The shoot-first forward has found his way into many trade rumors in the past couple years, due primarily to the amount of pivots the Flyers already have in their arsenal, along with Carter’s high value on the market and elevated salary. But when asked if the Flyers’ always tight salary cap would be a factor in signing Carter and upcoming RFA Claude Giroux, Holmgren kept it simple.
“We have space,” he said.
Carter, who was drafted 11th overall by the Flyers in 2003, achieved 46 goals and 84 points in 2008-09 before having a down season in 2009-10, in which he tallied 33 goals and 61 points.
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