The Philadelphia Flyers have secured the services of promising defenseman Hunter McDonald with a significant contract, marking his transition from collegiate to professional hockey.
Announced by Flyers’ general manager Danny Briere on Monday, McDonald has inked a two-year entry-level deal with the team. The contract is set to commence in the 2024–25 season, although the specifics of the cap hit remain undisclosed. In the interim, McDonald continues to hone his skills with the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, on a professional tryout basis.
McDonald’s journey to this point has been notable. Drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft, the Fairport, New York, native showcased his talents in various hockey leagues. Prior to his collegiate career, McDonald played in the United States Hockey League with the Omaha Lancers and Chicago Steel, as well as in junior hockey with the Rochester Monarchs (NCDC) and the Corus Christi IceRays (NAHL).
His collegiate stint at Northeastern University further solidified his potential. Over two seasons with the Huskies, McDonald amassed two goals and 20 points across 58 games. Notably, he earned recognition as a member of the Hockey East All-Rookie Team and was honored as the conference’s top defensive defenseman for the 2022–23 season.
OFFICIAL: We have signed defenseman Hunter McDonald to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2024-25 season. #LetsGoFlyers https://t.co/KNNojhZE6P
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 15, 2024
Following Northeastern’s exit from the Hockey East Tournament, McDonald made the leap to professional hockey by joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. His debut on March 23 against the Bridgeport Islanders marked the beginning of his pro career, during which he notched his first professional point on April 5 against the Providence Bruins. McDonald’s contributions thus far include two assists in nine games with Lehigh Valley.
With McDonald’s signing, the Flyers have solidified their roster for the upcoming season. They currently have 37 standard player contracts signed through the next season and 22 for the 2025–26 campaign. According to CapFriendly, the team is projected to maintain a little over $1 million in cap space for the 2024–25 season.
Leave a Reply