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.
Tomas Kopecky, right wing
Age: 33
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210
Last team: Florida Panthers
2014-15 cap hit: $3 million
Scouting report
Blessed with good size, Kopecky has a very powerful shot with some scoring upside, though it's declined drastically in the past two seasons. He's able to play all three forward positions, and is better off in a third- or fourth-line skilled grinding role. He's an intense winger who's responsible in all three zones. He doesn't produce as much as he should, and often doesn't use his body as he should, either. An inconsistent offensive player.
Drafted in the second round of the 2000 NHL draft by the Red Wings, Kopecky his first six years in Detroit's organization playing in the WHL with Lethbridge and the American League with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and Grand Rapids Griffins. In junior, Kopecky showed off an ability to score, potting 22 and 34 goals in his final two years, respectively.
Kopecky made his NHL debut in the 2005-06 season, suiting up one game for the Wings. In the AHL that year, Kopecky registered 32 goals and 69 points. In 2005-06, a broken clavicle limited him to just 26 games with Detroit. Kopecky played 77 and 79 games, respectively, in '07-08 and '08-09 with the Wings. He had just 12 goals in three-plus years at the NHL level with Detroit. As a free agent, Kopecky inked a two-year deal with the Blackhawks in 2009 and was part of Chicago's Stanley Cup team in 2010.
After scoring 15 goals in his final year of his contract, Kopecky's negotiating rights were traded to the Florida Panthers a few days before he hit free agency. The Panthers then extended him to a four-year, $12 million deal. He tallied 10 goals and 15 goals in his first two years with Florida, but his production has fallen off the last two seasons.
Last season, Kopecky had just two goals and six assists in 64 games.
NHL
Dougherty's projection
While the Flyers' penalty kill was so dreadful last year, I don't see general manager Ron Hextall going after Kopecky, who's committed himself to penalty killing.
The Slovakian was second among Panthers forwards last year averaging 2:17 on the PK. But if the Flyers were going to sign him, he'd essentially replace Ryan White or Chris VandeVelde and I'm not sure that would be a good call. White fit in well last year with the Flyers and did a lot of things well.
I wouldn't necessary hate adding Kopecky, but I have a hard time seeing him as a realistic option for the orange and black.
Riday's projection
If the Flyers have real interest in Kopecky, I'd be more comfortable if they invited him to training camp for a tryout before signing him to a contract.
He's more of a defensive-minded forward at this stage in his career, so why not see if he can mesh well with Pierre-Edouard Bellemare? The question is: Will a team snag him right away in free agency? It's a possibility, but I don't think Kopecky will be at the top of anybody's wish list. If he's still around in September, I would have no problem if the Flyers brought him in to see if he can be a fit as a bottom-six forward. He's worth a look.
Just keep in mind that Kopecky won't provide much offense. He has just six goals and 14 assists his last two seasons combined. There are probably better options out there if Hextall is searching for offense, which is a priority, but Kopecky wouldn't be a terrible signing for the right price.