Morgan Frost agreed to a 2yr/$4.2mil extension ($2.1mil/AAV) with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this evening. Each restricted free agent from the 2023 Flyers offseason has a new deal ahead of next season.
In the second half of last season, Frost flashed in Philadelphia after a slow start. He finished with a career-high 46 points (19G, 27A) in 81 games. His improved play caught the attention of John Tortorella, which earned an uptick in ice time, but Frost is aware that he’ll have to regain that trust:
“Just build on what I was doing at the end of the year. The way he [Tortorella] is, I still think I’m going to have to almost regain the trust again right away at the start of the season.”
Morgan Frost; 4/27/2023
Beginning the 2023-2024 season with a multi-point performance, it seemed Frost was ahead of pace. He found the back of the net twice in the 5-2 triumph versus the New Jersey Devils to open the season. Then, he had an assist in a 3-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
After that road win against the Lightning, Frost experienced a dry spell lasting 12 games.
His next multi-point performance was in December in an overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Frost tallied four points twice, each time versus the Coyotes. In the two contests, he totaled eight points (1G, 7A), regaining confidence.
“Doing some of the little things. I’m never going to be a physical guy, but just trying to use my body a little more [and] making sure I’m in the right position, using my stick, playing defensively, little stuff like that. He [Tortorella] obviously really appreciates hard work and the little details.”
Morgan Frost; 4/27/2023
Zone-to-zone, Frost appeared more confident in his abilities. Defensively, he had an active stick and constantly found himself in the correct spots on the ice. Tortorella expressed the importance of a two-hundred-foot game, and Frost took on the task.
“The big thing for me was once I started to feel a little more confident and started to get some points, I think it was more going into games almost expecting to get a point rather than just go out there and maybe play well.”
Morgan Frost; 4/14/2023
Starting against the Coyotes, Frost began to make noise. He captured 40 points (16G, 24A). The ‘expecting to score’ mentality helped him target a 60-point pace.
The additional minutes helped find a groove, which is apparent in his production. He fought out of the bottom six, skating with teammates who shared the same offensive skills, such as Owen Tippett.
Chuck Fletcher signed Frost to a 1yr/$800k contract last July, serving as a ‘prove-it’ deal. Now, Daniel Briere provides a little more slack on the leash. His goal is to prove sustainability in his production over his new two-year bridge.
Frost solidified himself as a full-time NHL player in 2022-2023, but with the Flyers in a rebuild, he will need to take another noticeable step forward to prove worthy of a long-term extension after 2024-2025.
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