With no new signings or contracts announced on Sunday, the Philadelphia Flyers have officially lost the signing rights to three recently drafted defense prospects, including two of Matvei Michkov’s draft classmates.
According to PuckPedia, the Flyers lost these three players on June 1 due for two reasons. Players who were drafted in 2023 and played major junior hockey through their age 20 and players who were drafted from European Leagues in 2021 before turning 20 saw their signing rights expire Monday.
So, that means that Flyers defense prospects Carter Sotheran, Brian Zanetti, and Matteo Mann are all free to sign with other NHL teams.
Zanetti, 22, is signed with HC Lugano of Switzerland through the 2027-28 season, so his career in North America is unlikely to resume anytime soon. The left-shot defenseman was drafted 110th overall by the Flyers in the 2021 NHL Draft.
As for Sotheran, the 135th overall pick in 2023, and Mann, the 199th overall pick in 2023, both players will be 20 years old on Sept. 15 and are eligible to re-enter the NHL draft if they wish.
With Sotheran and Mann out of the picture, the only Flyers defense prospects 20 years old or younger under contract with the team are Oliver Bonk, also drafted in 2023, and 2024 second-round pick Spencer Gill.
Right-shot defenseman Austin Moline, 19, is the last remaining defenseman on the Flyers’ reserve list.
By all accounts, after taking their center of choice with the No. 6 pick, the Flyers are going to have to heavily reinvest in their defense in the 2025 draft later this month.
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