Michigan State's Karsen Dorwart smiles after scoring against Minnesota during the third period on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Michigan State Center Signs Deal With Philadelphia Flyers

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tim Marshall | Last updated Mar 30, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Michigan State junior forward Karsen Dorwart signed an entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

Dorwart will forgo his final year of eligibility at Michigan State, to immediately report to the Flyers, finishing the regular season with the NHL team.

The 22-year-old forward played 126 games over the course of three seasons with the Spartans. Dorwart was a crucial part of Michigan State's winning back-to-back Big Ten titles.

This season, Dorwart was the Spartans’ first-line centerman and the second-leading point-scorer for Michigan State with 31 points.

Philadelphia inked Dorwart to a two-year contract with a cap hit of $975,000 AAV. The Sherwood, Oregon native will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2026.

A consolation for Dorwart after Michigan State’s early exit from the NCAA Tournament is that he can play the final seven games for the Flyers this season.

The Flyers are at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division and will miss out on the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season. After three complicated seasons at the helm in Philadelphia, head coach John Tortorella was fired on March 27.

As a result of the Flyers’ prolonged rebuild, there are some young talented players with whom Dorwart will share the ice. Philadelphia rookie forward Matvei Michkov has shined this season, scoring 24 goals and 32 assists. Michkov is in the conversation for the Calder Trophy. However, the award will most likely be given to 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

Dorwart will be the second Michigan State alum to make his NHL debut this season. Former Spartans defenseman Artyom Levshunov, the second-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, debuted for the Chicago Blackhawks on March 10.

Dorwart is the first Spartan from the 2024-25 roster to officially sign with an NHL team, but Michigan State is monitoring other star players potentially departing.

Michigan State junior forward Isaac Howard could possibly be the next to sign. The 2022 first-round draft pick could sign a deal with the Tampa Bay Lightning and help their playoff push. However, according to Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, the Lightning are facing cap space difficulties that could delay Howard from signing this spring.

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This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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