Brandon Manning has played his last game as a Philadelphia Flyer.
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall told the 27-year-old defenceman from Prince George he won’t be offered a new contract and will become an unrestricted free agent, after seven seasons with the organization.
“They told me that right now their plans are not to bring me back,” said Manning, from his home in Philadelphia. “Obviously they were happy with what I’ve done here. I’ve been with the organization for seven years and I appreciate (Hextall’s) honesty and being up front with me. I’ll take some time and let my agents earn their money this summer looking for a new home. It’s time to move on, which is unfortunate because I think the future’s bright here.”
The Flyers’ season ended two weeks ago after a six-game, first-round series loss to the defending Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh Penguins – a disappointing end for a Philadelphia team that was one of the hottest in the NHL in the second half.
“The hardest part is with how we played we knew we could beat them and in a few of the games we kind of beat ourselves and we were capable of winning that series,” he said. “Since December 3rd we turned it around and we were the fourth-best team since then and that’s a pretty good chunk of time to be a good hockey team.
“Obviously (the Penguins) have a lot of playoff experience the last couple years and it shows that. It was a valuable experience for our young guys. I think we got big contributions from our younger group this year, we’re a young team that’s growing. There’s a lot of potential up here in Philly, they’ve done a really good job through the draft and bringing in good veteran players every year. We took some steps this year and hopefully they can continue to do that.”
Manning is coming off his best NHL season, statistically, with seven goals and 19 points in 65 games. Averaging 18 minutes per game, he had 111 shots on goal, 76 blocked shots, 113 hits and a zero plus/minus rating. In six playoff games he was held without a point with 14 penalty minutes, 13 hits, 10 blocks and eight shots on goal. He missed 10 games with a broken finger, which happened during a game in Calgary, and was a healthy scratch for a couple games at the start and at the end of the season.
“At the end of the day, my production was up and my minutes were up a little bit,” he said. “There’s a few instances where you wouldn’t have minded playing a little more and being in the lineup regularly and that’s something you look back on and don’t like but that’s part of the job and that’s a business. Looking back on the season I’m pretty happy with how it went and I’m looking forward to free agency this summer.”
Manning drew a $1 million salary in 2017-18 and his two-year, $1.95 million contract with the Flyers expires July 1. Manning said his preference would be to go to a Western Conference team closer to Prince George where his family and friends live and where his girlfriend SheaMarie Glass works, to give them more opportunities to see him play, but he’ll take the best offer agent Gerry Johannson can fetch.
“Obviously I’m not going to go out there and score 15 goals from the back end but I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without being competitive,” said Manning. “I scored seven goals this year, I’m able to contribute offensively and just the way I compete and the time I put into hockey, it’s got me to where I’ve got to now and I think that’s just going to continue.
“I haven’t thought about individual teams – for me if I’m playing hockey and getting paid to do it I’m going to be happy. It’s always nice to be closer to home but it will be nice going to a team that wants you.”
Manning played one of his most memorable and productive NHL games Feb. 24 in Ottawa. In a 5-3 win over the Senators he had two assists and a goal, all in the third period, to allow the Flyers to erase a 2-1 deficit. Manning’s goal, his sixth of the season, came on a high shoot-in from centre ice and it will live forever on blooper highlight reels. The puck deflected off a stanchion at a sharp angle and rolled into the empty net while Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson stood behind the goal line, expecting the puck to carom off the boards.
Manning has gained a reputation as a tough stay-at-home type with good mobility and a hard shot from the point and he’s confident he’ll find a team willing to sign him. Included in his 56 penalty minutes were four fighting major penalties this season. He relishes a role as a punishing defender who is not afraid to drop the gloves if he deems that necessary. According to hockeyfights.com, Manning won his scrap with Alex Chaisson, lost decisions to Damon Severson and Nicholas Deslauriais, and fought Penguins’ Jamie Oleksiak to a draw.
Manning turns 28 on June 4 and has seven seasons of pro hockey on his resume since graduating the WHL ranks with the Chilliwack Bruins. He went undrafted as a bantam player and was also ignored in the NHL draft. He began his junior career as a 16-year-old with the Prince George Spruce Kings and went on to play four seasons in the WHL with Chilliwack, then spent four years with the Flyers’ AHL farm team before he became an NHL regular.
“Each year I’ve grown and I’ve gotten better – I kind of took the same path I took in the Western Hockey League and that’s kind of what I’m doing now,” he said.
Manning has a house in the city near the Hart Highlands ski hill and plans to make use of the cabin on Ness Lake he bought two years ago. He said he’ll be back and forth this summer between Prince George and Philadelphia until he sells his home there.
