Flyers sign Simmonds to 6-year extension
Right wing Wayne Simmonds signed a six-year contract extension worth $23.82 million with the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, according to the team website.
Simmonds had said he would play out this final year of his contract this season, and focus on contract negotiations after the season. But apparently things changed.
"I thought I had a pretty productive season last year, but coming into the summer I didn't know exactly where I stood or what would happen," Simmonds said Thursday on a conference call. "I talked to Homer [Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren] a little bit, but I still wasn't sure on the contract front. ... When Homer came to us with the contract extension, the three of us [Holmgren, Simmonds and Simmonds' agent] thought it was a good idea."
Simmonds, 23, had 28 goals and 21 assists last season, and he played all 82 regular-season games for the second time in his four-year NHL career.
With the departure of Jaromir Jagr and James van Riemsdyk, Simmonds becomes more important to the Flyers' offense.
