Each day from now until July 1, the day free agency begins, Tom Dougherty and Tim Riday will profile some of the NHL's top impending free agents and project their likelihood of signing with the Flyers.
Sean Bergenheim, left wing
Age: 31
Height: 5-10
Weight: 201
Last team: Minnesota Wild
2014-15 cap hit: $2.750 million
Scouting report
A fluid skater with a shoot-first mindset on offense, Bergenheim is a versatile and defensively sound winger. He's capable of going on hot streaks but has a tendency to disappear for stretches when he loses his focus. His durability is also a major concern.
The Helsinki, Finland native was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the New York Islanders in the 2002 NHL draft. He played 18 games with the Isles in 2003-04 but played most of the next two seasons in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
After spending the 2006-07 campaign skating for Lokomotiv Yaroslavi and Frolunda HC overseas, Bergenheim returned to the NHL and played the next three seasons on Long Island before signing with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 as a free agent.
Despite scoring just 14 goals in 80 games for the Bolts in 2010-11, Bergenheim shined in his first postseason action in the NHL. He collected nine goals and two assists in 16 games before Tampa was eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in seven games in the Eastern Conference Final.
Bergenheim was rewarded for his strong playoff run when he signed a four-year, $11 million contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2011. In the final year of his deal, he saw his ice time drop and requested a trade. The Panthers on Feb. 24 dealt him, along with a seventh-round pick, to the Minnesota Wild for a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL draft.
NHL
In 506 career NHL games, the veteran winger has recorded 96 goals, 84 assists and 379 penalty minutes.
Dougherty's projection
I don't see the Flyers going after Bergenheim. He's too streaky, and outside of nine goals in 16 games games during the 2010-11 playoffs, his play the last few years has fallen off. Also, injuries are often an issue with the winger.
He's never played a full season. In fact, he's played more than 70 games only twice in his nine-year career. The Flyers need to add skilled wingers who will actually be on the ice and also have some kind of impact while playing. Bergenheim won't do either.
Riday's projection
With the way Bergenheim plays the game, you'd think his numbers would be a lot better. He loves to shoot the puck. He's recorded more than 150 shots five times in his career. He creates a ton of opportunities for himself and his linemates with his speed and creativity in the offensive zone, but it hasn't translated to points. He's never scored 20 goals or recorded more than 30 points in a season.
What gives? Well, mostly it has to do with his ice time. Bergenheim has averaged around 13-14 minutes a game in his career. He's the definition of a role player. A very good one. Is there some untapped potential there? I believe so.
With the Flyers, Bergenheim would be afforded a chance to play up and down the lineup if the team elects to upgrade left wing, a position of need, through free agency. He won't command an outrageous contract after being used sparingly by the Panthers and Wild in 2014-15 and recording just nine goals in 56 games.
Plus, Bergenheim is the type of player who could thrive in new head coach Dave Hakstol's system. Hakstol is looking for solid all-around forwards who can skate well, create offense and also be relied on in the defensive zone.
Just one question remains: Will GM Ron Hextall take a flier on Bergenheim or elect to go younger? The latter seems more realistic, but Bergenheim should at least be considered as a low-risk, short-term option for the club.