Steve Mason and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to a contract extension on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun. HNIC’s Elliotte Friedman reports that it’s a three-year, $12.3 million deal. (That’s a $4.1 million cap hit.)
Update: The team made the extension official, though not the terms. LeBrun reports that the contract doesn’t include a no-trade clause.
Here’s a quick timeline on how Mason went from being a backup in Columbus to a well-paid No. 1 in Philly:
- Jan. 23, 2013: He finally played his first game of the season following the lockout.
- 2012-13 in general: Sergei Bobrovsky didn’t just nab the No. 1 job from Mason in Columbus, he also won the 2013 Vezina Trophy.
- April 3, 2013: The Blue Jackets traded him to Philly.
- April 8, 2013: Mason gets a one-year, $1.5 million deal from the Flyers.
- 2013-14 season: Mason plays surprisingly well, holding off Ray Emery’s backup threat.
- Today: Mason reportedly receives the long-term security he was likely seeking, although the Philadelphia Daily News’ Frank Seravalli notes that the Flyers didn’t want to give him more than three years.
Considering Mason’s lengthy struggles in Columbus, many will mock this extension. Still, Flyers GM Paul Holmgren didn’t seem too concerned with the snickers he received for acquiring the former Calder Trophy winner when his value was at an all-time low, and Mason paid off handsomely for the team.
We’ll see over the next few years if this was another costly gamble in net for the Flyers or if he might provide the affordable answer they’ve been seeking.