R.J. Umberger expects to be bought out by Flyers
VOORHEES — This is not exactly how R.J. Umberger, or the Flyers for that matter, planned the reunion tour.
After six years in Columbus with the Blue Jackets, Umberger was glad to be traded back to the Flyers, the team he started his career with, in the summer of 2014.
TOO SOON? Some Flyers can't bear to watch playoffs
The two seasons since have been rather disastrous and now he expects what he thought was coming in Columbus before the trade: a buyout.
“I expect one,” Umberger said. “Who wouldn’t after my season? That’s something up to them, their decision. Business side of it, you can’t control that.”
The 33-year-old forward played 39 games for the Flyers this season, but only one in the final 23 games of the regular season. He was a healthy scratch for most of this season, when he finally broke a 50-game goalless drought.
Last season was even worse, as he battled injuries left over from his time in Columbus.
BETWEEN THE PIPES: Why Mason, Neuvirth think a platoon can work
“It hasn’t been a great two years,” Umberger said. “It’s not what I imagined when I came here, but that’s life. Last year I was hurt and it was obvious that I was hurt the way I was playing. I felt great coming into the season, high expectations and I felt my play, when I did play, was better than last year. I just wasn’t scoring. Sometimes it’s just tough to come off that mental aspect of it and you’re not scoring. Your opportunities and playing time is a lot smaller.”
Umberger carries a $4.6 million salary cap hit with one year remaining on his contract. If he is correct and general manager Ron Hextall decides to buy him out, the team will save $3 million against the salary cap next season, but would carry $1.5 million on the books in the 2017-18 season also. The soonest the Flyers could do that is 48 hours after the Stanley Cup is awarded.
“That’s up to Hexy’s decision to make,” Umberger said. “Wherever I’ll be I’ll come in the best shape like I always do and I’m ready just to have a better year. I know I can play better. I know I still have stuff in the tank. I’ll make the best of it wherever I’m at.”
RESPECT THE GAME: Capitals give Flyers a nod
Five times in Umberger’s 11 seasons he scored 20 goals. He only had two this year, including one in the regular-season finale against the New York Islanders. This year he was given a diminished role when he was in the lineup, which he said didn’t bother him as much as missing power-play time. He played a big role on the man advantage with the Blue Jackets.
If Umberger has already played his last game as a Flyer, he says he’s honored to have done it.
“I wish it would have went better and it would have been more like my first time here but it wasn’t,” Umberger said. “It’s an honor to put on that jersey no matter when you have the chance, whether I have the chance going forward, if not, it’s a small group of people that got to play here and it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”
Schenn suspended 3 games
Brayden Schenn was suspended three games by the league Tuesday after a phone hearing for his hit on Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie in Sunday’s season-ending loss.
"Well, I know they were obviously watching me close in that series," he said. "To be honest, I didn’t even know that I hit Oshie in the head. It wasn’t the initial point of contact. I did hit him in the shoulder first and then hit his head after."
The suspension from the league's inconsistent justice department qualified it as “charging,” even though Schenn wasn't penalized on the play, nor was he even credited with a hit from the off-ice officials.
Schenn will also be fined, but the amount is unknown because the restricted free agent hasn’t signed a contract for next season yet. The Flyers are expected to retain him, though.
World Championships
The Flyers’ postseason surgery list will be revealed Wednesday and it will likely keep a couple players from participating in World Championships in Russia next month.
Michal Neuvirth, for example, said he would “love to” represent the Czech Republic, but didn’t seen optimistic his health would let him. Same goes for his countryman Jake Voracek, who is still hampered by a foot injury. Streit, a Switzerland native, won’t play either.
France’s Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, however, is all about it.
“We're not the biggest skills, but we have our heart,” Bellemare said. “When we decide to do something we go 110 percent. I will always be available for the national team as long as my body lets me go. I'm going to go to the national team now.”
Dave Isaac; (856) 486-2479;disaac@gannettnj.com.