The Flyers picked up their second free agent of the spring this evening, signing Baie-Comeau Drakkar winger and 2010 Columbus second-round draft pick Petr Straka. The news was first reported by Anthony SanFilippo, while the contract terms — three years for an annual value of $925,000 — were first reported by Tim Panaccio.
Agent Allan Walsh said on Twitter that Straka fielded offers from 12 NHL teams, so if that’s true, that’s a pretty nice get by Paul Holmgren.
At 20, and just two months from 21, Straka’s an overager in the QMJHL , which is junior hockey’s highest-scoring league. Regardless, his numbers from this past regular season (41 goals and 41 assists in 55 games) are still quite impressive. He put up 64 points in 62 games in his first junior season in 2009-10, but his numbers sagged in the following two seasons with a combined 62 points in 95 games.
Straka’s 6’0″ and 194 pounds. He’s Czech, so it’s be nice if he could continue Jakub Voracek’s trend of Czech wingers formerly in the ‘Lumbus organization coming to the Flyers and being awesome.
Straka won’t report to the Phantoms right away because Baie Comeau is still in the playoffs. In fact, he’s been doing quite well in those playoffs: his team just swept its second-round series and he’s put up 18 points in just eight games. So that’s good.
Not that much game film available on him, but here’s an interview he did in the time leading up to his draft in 2010. He likes being friendly, apparently.
The move puts the Flyers at 39 contracts for next season (before any slide rule removals or restricted free agent signings). We’ll look for some more information on him in the meantime.
