When the free agency period opened on July 1 the Flyers heavily pursued the two most coveted unrestricted free agents on the market, forwardZach Parise of the New Jersey Devils and defensemanRyan Suter of the Nashville Predators. The Flyers lost out on both as Parise and Suter signed identical 13-year contracts worth $98 million with the Minnesota Wild on July 4.[5] The Flyers had reportedly offered Parise a contract worth a total of $110 million.[5] As the pursuit of Parise and Suter was occurring, the Flyers lost their two biggest unrestricted free agents, Jaromir Jagr and Matt Carle. Jagr signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million with the Dallas Stars on July 3.[6] He later said the Flyers requested that he wait while they pursued Parise and Suter, but Jagr did not want to wait and signed with the Stars after Dallas promised him a spot on the top line.[7] Carle signed a six-year contract worth $33 million with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 4.[8] The Flyers most notable unrestricted free agent signings were former Flyer Ruslan Fedotenko to a one-year, $1.75 million contract and defenseman Bruno Gervais to a two-year, $1.65 million contract.[9]
After failing to land Suter or re-sign Carle, the Flyers signed restricted free agent defenseman Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators to a 14-year offer sheet worth $110 million, $68 million of which was a signing bonus, on July 19.[10] The offer sheet was the richest in NHL history in terms of total money, money per season, and length, surpassing the previous offer sheet record set by Thomas Vanek. The Predators, already having lost Weber's defensive partner Suter to Minnesota, matched the offer sheet five days later.[11] Had the Predators declined to match, they would have received the Flyers' next four first-round draft picks as compensation.[10]
In the weeks leading up to the 2012–13 lockout, the Flyers re-signed wingersWayne Simmonds and Scott Hartnell to six-year contract extensions. Simmonds extension was worth $23.85 million and Hartnell's $28.5 million.
With team captain Chris Pronger unlikely to return as a result of continuing post-concussion syndrome which has placed his playing career in jeopardy, the Flyers named Claude Giroux team captain on January 15 shortly after the lockout ended.[12]
Regular season
The Flyers started the season 0–3–0, the franchise's worst season start in 17 years.[13]
The Flyers did not qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since the 2006–07 season and only the ninth time in team history.
The Flyers were the most penalized team during the regular season, with 184 power-play opportunities against.[14]
The Flyers were involved in the following transactions from June 12, 2012, the day after the deciding game of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 24, 2013, the day of the deciding game of the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals.[21]
^The draft pick would become a 3rd-round pick if the Flyers qualified for the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs; the Flyers did not qualify and the draft pick remained a 4th-round pick.
^Detroit would receive the draft pick if the Flyers re-signed Huskins prior to October 1, 2013; the Flyers did not re-sign Huskins and retained the pick.[26]
^In parentheses is the player's free agency group on July 1 if applicable.[39]
^Laperriere last played during the 2009–10 season.
^Bartulis signed with HC Donbass on August 29, 2012.
^Betts, who last played during the 2010–11 season, retired.[42]
^The Florida Panthers' third-round pick (originally San Jose Sharks pick) went to the Philadelphia Flyers as a result of a July 1, 2011 trade that sent Kris Versteeg to the Panthers in exchange for this pick.[65]
^SanFilippo, Anthony (March 18, 2013). "MISTER 1000". Philadelphia Flyers. Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
^Parent, Rob (April 16, 2013). "PARENT: No Flyer or coach will be safe this offseason". Delco Times. Retrieved October 4, 2024. the Flyers' 7-3 victory in Montreal Monday represented Laviolette's 750th NHL game as a head coach