Justin Braun is returning to Philadelphia.
After being dealt to the New York Rangers at the trade deadline last season, Braun has opted to waltz back into the City of Brotherly Love on Wednesday evening, agreeing to terms with the Flyers on a one-year contract worth $1.75 million.
Braun very clearly showed his age last season with the basement-dwelling Flyers, racking up six goals and 12 assists for 18 points in 69 games between Philly and New York while logging a smidge over 19 minutes of ice time per night.
After heading to the Rangers at the deadline, however, Braun struggled to find a role in New York’s top-six, watching his ice time dwindle to just under 13 minutes per game in the playoffs as his lack of footspeed seemed to hamper him greatly.
Returning to the Flyers now, Braun will add some defensive depth to a team that simply has no idea which direction they are headed. After finishing near the bottom of the league standings last season, the Flyers have quizzically opted against rebuilding and instead are scouring the market for talent to help them win now. Braun won’t exactly push them closer to that goal at this stage in his career, but his veteran status is yet another indication that GM Chuck Fletcher is not intent on taking a step back any time soon.
Whether that works out for them or not remains to be seen. But, for now, the Flyers get a beloved veteran blueliner back in the fold at a decent price without locking themselves into an outrageous term.
It certainly could be worse.
