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.
Michael Ryder, right wing
Age: 35
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Last team: New Jersey Devils
2014-15 cap hit: $3.5 million
Scouting report
An 11-year veteran, Ryder owns a dangerous shot from the right wing and is capable of getting himself open in order to use it. He's not a physical winger and his skating is just average, but the 35-year-old does have strong positioning. One of his flaws, however, is he's often inconsistent in both ends of the ice.
Drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the eighth round of the 1998 NHL draft, Ryder made his NHL debut in the 2003-04 season with the Habs. He spent his first four seasons in Montreal before heading to Boston. He's had two separate stints with the Canadiens, rejoining the team during half the lockout-shorten 2012-13 season.
Ryder tallied 99 goals in his first four years before signing with the Bruins in 2008 as a free agent. He was in Boston for three seasons, registering 63 goals. After Boston, he signed with Dallas in 2011. With the Stars, Ryder netted 35 goals in his first year of a two-year contract. But in his second year, the Stars traded Ryder back to Montreal for Erik Cole.
He played 27 games and scored 10 goals in his second stint with the Habs — adding a goal and an assist in five playoff games. His contract expired, and then he signed with the Devils for two years in 2013. His contract is expiring and New Jersey said they are not going to re-sign the Bonavista, Newfoundland, native.
In his first season with New Jersey, Ryder played in all 82 games. He scored 18 times while recording 16 assists for the Devils. But last year, he was often a healthy scratch for N.J. Playing 47 games, Ryder scored just six times — he had a three-point game against the Flyers in the season opener. He asked for a trade from New Jersey, but the team couldn't move him.
NHL
Dougherty's projection
Last season is going to have an effect on Ryder's chances of landing a contract similar to his previous. He's 35 years old and coming off a season in which he was often in the press box. Something wasn't right. The Devils were a mess last season, but the fact Ryder couldn't crack that lineup is certainly a red flag.
But, he's a goal scorer and always has been. Is age catching up to him? It very well might be. Should the Flyers pursue him? With caution. If Ryder is asking for anything more than $2 million, I don't see GM Ron Hextall sniffing around him. I don't know if he's going to be a fit with Dave Hakstol's system, but he's a skilled winger. Hextall is going to evaluate all his options. Ryder might be one of those guys who signs closer to training camp. I don't see many teams running to sign the vet.
So it might be worth it for the Flyers to perhaps wait it out and check in with Ryder come September to see if he's willing to come to camp on a tryout contract. If he signs beforehand, then so be it.
Riday's projection
The fact that the Devils failed to move Ryder at the NHL trade deadline is pretty telling. He's scored 237 goals in his career, so you'd think a playoff-bound team would've been interested in adding the veteran for an extra punch on offense. But that wasn't the case.
After potting just six goals and 19 points in 47 games last season, Ryder won't be at the top of teams' wish lists this summer. If he wants to stay in the NHL, he's going to have to sign for cheap, likely on a one-year, "prove-it" contract.
I don't see the Flyers being a player for Ryder, though. He strictly plays right wing. He's not going to unseat Jakub Voracek, Wayne Simmonds or Matt Read for a role on one of the top lines, either. And if Vinny Lecavalier and R.J. Umberger are back, Ryder would just be another aging veteran to get lost in the shuffle. I'll pass.