Report: Kimmo Timonen re-signs with Philadelphia Flyers, agrees to one year, $6 million contract

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

By Charlie O’Connor (@THG_Charlie)

38 is the new 28. Or so the Philadelphia Flyers hope.

With top defenseman Kimmo Timonen scheduled to become a free agent at the conclusion of the 2012-13 NHL season, the Flyers have acted to lock up their alternate captain.

First reported by Eklund of HockeyBuzz.com and confirmed by Tim Panaccio of CSNPhilly, the Flyers have agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with Timonen, keeping him in a Flyers uniform through the 2013-14 season.

Timonen, who has one goal and four assists in ten games thus far this season, will turn 38 years old on March 18.

But despite a noticeable decrease in his mobility, Timonen’s offensive stats have barely decreased since his first season in Philadelphia. In 2007-08, Timonen scored 44 points (8 goals, 36 assists) in 80 games; in 2012-13, Timonen scored 43 points (4 goals, 39 assists) in 76 games.

Since the concussion suffered by Chris Pronger in December 2012, Timonen has functioned as Philadelphia clear #1 defenseman, and has spent most of his ice time during the 2012-13 season paired with new acquisition Luke Schenn, averaging 22:46 minutes per game, which leads all Flyers’ defensemen.

Timonen’s new $6 million contract will give him the Flyers’ second highest cap hit during the 2013-14 season, trailing only fellow alternate captain Daniel Briere.