Philadelphia Flyers' Complete Guide to Free Agency

When a freighter changes course, it takes plenty of time and patience to turn the ship around.

The same could be said for the Philadelphia Flyers, who are in the second year of their franchise rebuild under new general manager Ron Hextall.

After a dismal 2014-15 season that saw the team finish 24th overall, management's first move was to replace coach Craig Berube with neophyte Dave Hakstol. Now, Hextall and his team are working to create salary-cap space in order to upgrade the roster on the ice.

Here's a look at how things stand and what we might expect from the Flyers in free agency this summer.

Here are the NHL players under contract with the Flyers for the 2015-16 season, along with the most significant contract details:

11 Forwards: $38.2 million

• After posting 15 points in 67 games in his first year back with Philadelphia, R.J. Umberger has a no-trade clause and two years left on a contract with a $4.6 million cap hit.
• Listed as a healthy scratch 15 times in 2014-15, Vincent Lecavalier has three years remaining on a contract with a $4.5 million cap hit and a no-movement clause.
• Sam Gagner, who was acquired in the trade of Christ Pronger's contract to Arizona on June 27, has one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $3.2 million. Gagner could be bought out before June 30, per Dave Isaac of the North Jersey Courier-Post.

7 Defensemen: $20.7 million

• Luke Schenn (25) is signed for one more season at a cap hit of $3.6 million before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
• Evgeni Medvedev (32) has signed a one-year contract with a cap hit of $3 million after playing his entire career in the KHL.

1 Goaltender: $4.1 million

• The Flyers are in need of a backup goaltender; only starter Steve Mason is signed for next season.

With Pronger's contract gone, Gagner's still on the books, and Zac Rinaldo shipped off to Boston in exchange for a third-round draft pick, General Fanager reports that the Flyers currently have just under $64 million committed against the salary cap in 2015-16 for 19 players.

With a cap ceiling of $71.4 million for the upcoming season, Hextall currently has just over $7 million available. He needs to sign a backup goaltender and will likely pursue a new contract with restricted free-agent defenseman Michael Del Zotto.

If he hopes to improve his forward ranks by signing a big-name free agent, he'll probably need to exercise a buyout.

Gagner's a possibility, but he's just 25 years old and still should have some good hockey ahead of him. A buyout of Lecavalier would be a bigger commitment since he's 35 and signed for three more seasons at a cap hit of $4.5 million a year.

Hextall will need to consult with new Flyers coach Dave Hakstol before he decides whether to jettison one of his centers in exchange for more salary-cap space.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Chris VandeVelde (28) - center

• 9-6-15 in 72 regular-season games

Ryan White (27) - center

• 6-6-12 in 34 regular-season games

Carlo Colaiacovo (32) - defense

• 2-6-8 in 33 regular-season games

Ray Emery (32) - goal

• 10-11-7 in 31 regular-season games; 3.06 goals-against average, .894 save percentage

Restricted Free Agents

Michael Del Zotto (25) - defense

• 10-22-32 in 64 regular-season games

After finishing 14 points out of a playoff spot in 2014-15, the Flyers need to look at the big picture as they overhaul their team.

Step 1 was the acquisition of Hakstol to replace Craig Berube. 

Step 2, which might be tougher, will be to upgrade the team on the ice.

The Flyers are locked into most of their contracts for next season and don't have much trade bait at their disposal. Moving defenseman Luke Schenn is probably the best possibility.

Hextall definitely needs to acquire a new backup goaltender to replace the departing Ray Emery. In addition, his team could use a scoring boost after finishing 22nd in offense last season. The Flyers also ranked 24th defensively, so back-end help would also come in handy.

Traditionally, the Flyers are an active team in free agency. Tim Panaccio of CSN Philly suggests that Hextall's top priority in free agency will be a mid-level winger.

If Hextall doesn't clear more cap space beyond the Rinaldo deal, the Flyers will likely stick with the plan to bring in a mid-level winger who can score. Philadelphia could be in the running for unrestricted free agents such as Matt Beleskey, Michael Frolik or Blake Comeau.

Joel Ward and Chris Stewart could be intriguing options for the "sandpaper factor" in their respective games.

After failing to land a netminder during the great goalie game of musical chairs on draft weekend, unrestricted free-agent options in goal include Karri Ramo of Calgary, Jonas Gustavsson of Detroit and the two former netminders in Buffalo—Michal Neuvirth and Jhonas Enroth.

Hextall told Panaccio, "I didn’t want to give up an asset for a backup, quite honestly." Expect him to snap up a free agent to support Steve Mason when the signing period opens on July 1.

Quite simply: Hextall's not finished with his wheeling and dealing.

Moving the contract of Chris Pronger allows him more salary flexibility during the offseason, but the Flyers have been receiving cap relief for that deal every year following opening day, when Pronger's cap hit shifts to long-term injured reserve.

Losing defenseman Nicklas Grossman, whose $3 million cap hit was also dealt to the Coyotes, offers real relief that Hextall can use to sign a different player.

Hextall has until Tuesday to decide whether to buy out Sam Gagner and free up another $3.2 million. A Gagner buyout would cost the Flyers just $422,222 against the cap next season, according to General Fanager, because he's under 26 and Tampa Bay retained $1.6 million of his salary when he was dealt to the Coyotes a year ago.

Panaccio has also reported Hextall is interested in trying to deal Vincent Lecavalier and/or Luke Schenn. A trade of either—or a buyout for Lecavalier—would also yield some cap space that would allow Hextall to be more active in the free-agent market.

Expect to see Hextall move out at least one more body, which could enable him to aim a little higher among free-agent forwards, possibly targeting Justin Williams.

If the Flyers want to take advantage of their All-Star first-liners in Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek and the strong play of goaltender Steve Mason while they're at the peak of their games, management needs to move quickly to enact a culture change.

After reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2010, Philadelphia has lurched along since Chris Pronger's career-ending injury in November of 2011, making the playoffs just once in the last three years.

Entering his second year at the helm, Hextall will continue to work to create the salary-cap flexibility that he needs in order to create real change.

Stats courtesy of NHL.com. Contract information from General Fanager is sourced from CapGeek, a now-defunct website.