Philadelphia Flyers: The Importance of Brayden Schenn

The Philadelphia Flyers have signed Brayden Schenn to a contract extension. We’ll now look into why.

"“The benefit for us is our cap number stays flat for four years rather than having have a cap at a lower number, then taking a run at him for two years, if in fact he’d sign for two years at a higher cap number” Ron Hextall said."

This is a quote from Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall after he signed Brayden Schenn to a four-year contract extension last week.  This quote shows how Schenn’s contract benefited the Philadelphia Flyers.

Brayden Schenn’s story began as a prospect for the Brandon Wheat Kings.  In 2009, the scouting report labeled Schenn as a:

"gritty and hard-working center … good skater with decent top speed … agility and mobility to beat defensemen off the rush … excellent puck skills and tremendous vision …  Perhaps his best attributes are his tireless work ethic and consistency …  A solid frame helps him win plenty of battles on the boards and in front of the net, and makes him incredibly difficult to knock off the puck."

Consistency?

Hold the phone.  If one of Schenn’s attributes – reportedly one of his best attributes – was consistency, then where does the knock on his consistency come from, and when did it start?  Nothing in that scouting report labeled Schenn as a defensive minded center, but the report on Schenn’s “solid frame,” being able to “win plenty of battles on the boards,” and being “incredibly difficult to knock off the puck” allude to his ability to use his body to gain a better positioning against his opponent.

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In addition to this scouting report, the Kings selected Schenn fifth overall in 2009, and a high pick like fifth overall carries with it high expectations – usually those expectations are that a player will have an exceptionally well rounded game – which for an offensive player like Schenn includes the ability and willingness to play defense.  So what happened to get Schenn to this point in his career seven years later?

In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported that Terry Murray, then coach of the Los Angeles Kings, said the team sent Schenn down to the minors because of “defensive deficiencies,” and while Murray projected Schenn “to be a scorer and second-line center,” that “[he] had gotten mostly fourth-line duty this season.” The problem with Murray’s evaluation is that Schenn only played eight games with the Kings that

The problem with Murray’s evaluation is that Schenn only played eight games with the Kings that season, and eight games is a small sample size to fully judge Schenn.  The LA Times quoted Murray as projecting Schenn to be a scoring second line center, but Murray did not knock Schenn for his ability to play offense.

Murray knocked Schenn for his ability to play defense as a center.  This hopefully will not be a problem for the Philadelphia Flyers over the next four years of Schenn’s contract with the amount of defensive prospects the team has coming through the pipelines.

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The first season when Schenn played more than eight games a season was his first year with the Philadelphia Flyers.  In 2011 he played 54 games, and a report during that season cited Schenn as a “hardworking and budding star.”  His stats for the 2011 season were 54 games played, 12 goals, 6 assists, 18 points, and 34 penalty minutes.

An article in 2012 cited Schenn as showing “signs of brilliance,” during the locked out 2012 season.

In 2013, it was noted, “before his 11-game drought, Brayden Schenn had seven goals in the first 22 games.”  It seems between the 2012 and 2013 seasons are when the consistency issues began for Schenn, but despite these consistency

It seems between the 2012 and 2013 seasons are when the consistency issues began for Schenn, but despite these consistency issues he signed a two-year contract in 2014.  Ron Hextall noted the length of the contract as incredibly important at the time, and both parties came away happy with a two year deal.  Hextall was quoted as saying:

"“I think Brayden had a good year last year. He’s a good young player. Can he be more consistent? You can probably say that about every player on our team but, yeah, I think that’s a fair assessment.”"

Reading between the lines Hextall said Schenn needed to be more consistent, but did not want to single him out in the process.  When pressed about Schenn’s performance during the last year’s preseason Hextall was quoted as saying, “I think he’s been OK”.

which is not exactly a ringing endorsement for a player in a contract year.  Brayden Schenn’s high draft pick does come with high expectations, but fans should keep in mind Schenn has really only played a decent amount of games at the NHL level since 2011, and that Schenn has bounced between playing center and wing during his tenure in Philadelphia.

A permanent role has only been defined for Schenn somewhat recently.  As a result of the up and down seasons Brayden Schenn has had statistically his name won’t quite strike fear into most of the Metropolitan Division, but the Philadelphia Flyers locked up the 6’1” 187 pound winger for four years and a 5.15 average annual value (AAV).

Hextall hopes Schenn will not only continue his production from last year, but is banking that Schenn will improve on that production.  Hextall has now signed Schenn to two contract extensions, and it is time for Schenn to improve consistently.

The most recent four-year contract began with Ron Hextall’s belief in Schenn.  Hextall believes Schenn has improved in his game as far as, “finding open spots, avoiding shot blocks and coming cleanly across the blue line without turning the puck over.”

That is the kind of ringing endorsement that shows Hextall believes in Schenn’s work ethic despite being bounced from center to wing, and simultaneously making sure the contract is primarily what is best for the Philadelphia Flyers long term.

The Flyers and Schenn may have gone to arbitration without Hextall’s belief in Schenn, and as a result Schenn is now being paid in a top six winger role (the top two lines combined of two wingers and a center makes six players, and those players are considered the primary workhorses).

The concern for the Philadelphia Flyers and their fans everywhere is whether or not Schenn will be consistent and improve his game from last year.  Ron Hextall believes in Schenn’s game, and has cautiously banked on Schenn’s ability to be consistent and improve.

What this contract really accomplishes at the end of the day is it moves towards a solution rather than adds to a problem for the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Flyers depth at wing is bad, and losing Schenn would make the problem worse.  The deal lands the Philadelphia Flyers a winger coming off a 26 goal 59 point season.

If  Schenn’s statistics with the Philadelphia Flyers are averaged out, it results in the following projection:  Schenn will play in 84% of his games, score 16 goals a year, net 21 assists, put up 38 total points, and cost the team 38 penalty minutes.  That’s the average.  Hextall no doubt expects above average from Schenn after signing him to a four-year contract extension at a rough cost of five million per year.

Next: Flyers Draft Profile: Pascal Laberge

The most impressive stat to me is Schenn plays in the majority of his games.  Wingers that do that with a physical skill set like Schenn has are not easy to find.  The Philadelphia Flyers locked Schenn up for four years with a team friendly long term contract as a result of future expectations.

The Philadelphia Flyers will get their money’s worth so long as Brayden Schenn remains consistent and improves his game.  If that does not happen, then the Flyers will pay a decent bit of money up front, but Schenn will drop in price during the latter two years of his contract.

This is a good deal for both sides.