Hartnell will remain on the first line with Claude Giroux for a long time (via CBC).
In the past week, the Philadelphia Flyers have shown a commitment to keep their flourishing front line together for the long-term. Last Thursday, GM Paul Holmgren extended Wayne Simmonds’ contract by six years; now, he’s locked up another breakout goal-scorer—Scott Hartnell—to a six-year extension worth approximately $28.5 million.
Hartnell has been excellent in his five-year tenure in Philadelphia, scoring 24-plus goals four times and leading the team in power-play tallies over that period. His ability to put the puck in the net on the man advantage is why Philadelphia was the league’s most potent power-play team in 2012-2013. He’s also one of the more gritty players on the team, often instigating incidents and striking fear (kind of) into the hearts of opponents. He also had a breakout offensive season, scoring 37 goals and recording 30 assists, both career highs.
This is another example of a team looking to sneak in a long-term deal before the new CBA kicks in, which will likely prevent teams from signing contracts longer than four or five years.
