As the post-free-agency summer slow-down hits this year, let us look back on the Flyers’ Massimo Rizzo trade, which occurred this week a year ago.
On August 8, 2023, the Philadelphia Flyers acquired Massimo Rizzo’s signing rights and a 2025 fifth-round pick from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward David Kase.
Rizzo is a 5’11” center drafted #216 in the seventh round by Carolina in 2019; Kase was drafted #128 in the fifth round by the Flyers in 2015.
In April 2024, the Philadelphia Flyers signed Rizzo to a two-year $1.85MM entry-level contract (ELC). The forward is expected to start the year in Lehigh Valley but will be able to push for a job out of training camp.
David Kase last played with the Flyers in 2021 and is currently playing in the Czech Republic with his brother Ondrej for Litvinov HC. The brothers are leading their team in points with 43 and 54, respectively. The Flyers had hoped that Kase could reach the heights that his brother Ondrej reached in the NHL (124 points in 258 NHL games). The Flyers won this trade hands-down, as Kase did not play for the Hurricanes following the trade.
Flyers Acquire Their Target
Flyer fans may also remember the buzz in the air in the weeks leading up to last year’s deal, in which the Flyers attempted to acquire Rizzo in exchange for shipping out defenseman Tony DeAngelo; however, that deal fell through. As a result, the Flyers subsequently bought out DeAngelo, for which they had to pay a two-year buyout penalty, including $1.67MM of dead money this year. A few weeks later, the Flyers nabbed their target in Rizzo.
Rizzo, who turned 23 in June, scored 10 goals and 34 assists in 30 games for the University of Denver, missing 14 games with a lower-body injury this past year. His 42 points were third on the team, and he set a career-high in assists. Denver won their 10th Division I Men’s Ice Hockey National Championship, which was their second national title in the last three years. Rizzo was a West Second Team All-American, the first Denver player to earn back-to-back national honors since 2017. Rizzo was also a two-time Hobey Baker Award nominee over the past two seasons.
Reconnecting With a Former Teammate
Flyer forward Bobby Brink will perhaps be more excited than most about Rizzo joining the Flyers training camp squad this year. Brink was part of the Denver team that won Rizzo his first National Championship.
Barring injury, it’s expected that Brink and Rizzo will be on the ice together again in training camp this September.
For his part, Rizzo said that Brink and he are close and that Brink has been taking him under his wing.
“Me and Bob are close,” Rizzo said. “So he has been great with kind of taking me in and introducing me, showing me what to do around here and how things work.”
Rizzo describes himself as a playmaking offensive player who enjoys playing the game, having fun, and being creative. He is a left-handed shooter who has played center and wing and claims to be comfortable playing both positions. Rizzo may be a bit undersized and is not considered an elite skater; however, his positional play, hands, and vision are skills he brings into his first year of pro hockey. Some NHLers have shown the ability to improve their skating over time.
Rizzo’s skills, winning pedigree, and adaptability are all traits of Rizzo’s that should endear him to the Flyers brass and faithful. After buzzing around the Flyers development camp in July, Rizzo looks forward to the upcoming training camp with the full team.
NHL Active 7th Round Picks Career Totals
And now, for some nerdy fun in the hot sun, let’s see how Rizzo stacks up against the other seventh-round forwards who were the NHL active games-played leaders at the end of last season (min. 300 NHL games).
It’s worth noting that eye-catching NCAA DIV I or junior offensive numbers do not always translate to NHL scoring, and comparable forward results are not guaranteed.
Now with the disclaimer out of the way, let’s see how high our dreams for Rizzo can soar.
Joe Pavelski (#205, 7th Rd. 2003)
NHL Totals: GP: 1,332 G:476 A:592 P:1,068
Since we’re only having fun, let’s start with perhaps the most unfair comparison to Rizzo. Joe Pavelski may be one of, if not the most decorated seventh-round picks in NHL history. Pavelski would play two years for the University of Wisconsin between 2004 and 2005, where he posted a similar but higher stat line to Rizzo with 45 and 56 points, compared to Rizzo’s 46 and 44 points, respectively.
Pavelski would go on to score 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 NHL games for the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, adding 143 points in 201 playoff games to boot. Pavelski announced his retirement in mid-July, and sadly, the long-time captain did not win a Cup but had many great playoff runs.
Ondrej Palat (#208, 7th Rd. 2011)
NHL Totals: GP:748 G:162 A:315 P:477
Palat played his junior hockey in the QMJHL for the Drummondville Voltigeurs where he would score 40 points in 59 games in year one and then skyrocket to 96 points in 61 games in year two. Palat would go on to play ten years for the Tampa Bay Lightning and served as a key player on two Stanley Cup teams. Palat is currently playing with the New Jersey Devils.
Erik Haula (#182, 7th Rd. 2009)
NHL Totals: GP:142 G:142 A:174 P:316
Palat’s current teammate on the Devils played three years for the University of Minnesota between the 2010 and 2012 seasons, where he posted 24, 49, and 51 points in his three years, respectively. Rizzo’s collegiate point totals in his three years were 36. 46 and 44, respectively. Haula would play for two years in the minors and four years for the Minnesota Wild who drafted him.
Haula moved around the league as a result of the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft and has since played with Hurricanes, Panthers, Predators, Bruins, and currently with the Devils.
Nic Dowd (#198, 7th Rd. 2009)
NHL Totals: GP:500 G:70 A:79 P:251
Dowd spent all four years of his collegiate career with St. Cloud State, where he posted increasing point totals each year with 18, 24, 39, and 40, respectively, eclipsing the 20-goal plateau in his senior year.
Dowd, now a veteran having reached the 500-game marker, has played for 9 years in NHL with the Kings, Leafs, Canucks and this upcoming season will be his seventh with the Capitals.
Dominik Kubalik (#191, 7th Rd. 2013)
NHL Totals: GP:357 G:93 A:83 P:176
Kubalik played hockey for two years with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, starting in 2012, posting 34 points in 67 games in year one, followed by 23 points in just 36 games in year two. In his third junior year, he played with the Kitchener Ranges in the OHL, posting only 6 points in 23 games. In 2014, he returned to the Czech Republic to play until 2017, when he joined the Swiss A league.
In 2019, the Blackhawks acquired his rights for a 2019 fifth-round pick. He had a dynamic 30-goal campaign in his rookie year, flanking Patrick Kane. For his career thus far, Kubalik has scored 93 goals and totaled 176 points in 357 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators.
Pierre Engvall (#188, 7th Rd. 2014)
NHL Totals: GP:318 G:57 A:63 P:120
Engvall was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 and would play in Sweden before joining the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2016. Engvall put up 56 points in 94 regular season AHL games.
Engvall would make the Maple Leafs roster in 2019 and has gone on to play 318 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders.
Victor Olofsson (#181, 7th Rd. 2014)
NHL Totals: GP:314 G:90 A:92 P:182
Olofsson, who was selected seven picks before Engvall in 2014, had a similar path to Engvall. He played in the Swedish leagues before coming to the NHL. However, Olofsson would play one year in the AHL, where he put up a dazzling 30 Goals and 63 points in the regular season.
Olofsson joined the Buffalo Sabers at the tail end of the 2018 season and has been with the big club ever since.
PHOTO: Philadelphia Flyers/Facebook
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