Free agency bell to toll, perhaps even for Hextall

Ron Hextall has pledged to try to spend money to make his team better this offseason, especially if the right kind of free agent becomes available. For Hextall and the Flyers the search officially commences Sunday at 12 noon as the market for unrestricted free agents opens.

Hextall has admitted he’s on the hunt for a third-line center and veteran defenseman, and could make a play for one or both soon after the noon bell tolls. That said, Hextall — organizational history be damned — has never been a big player in the free agent game, and again hedges his spending promises with hints of fiscal responsibility.

Asked recently about hitting up the free agent market, Hextall conceded a desire to do so, but added, “We’re not going to do something stupid that’s long-term to try to get better. But one or two years, yeah, we’d like to get better (that way). Yeah, absolutely.”

The only absolutes about July 1 and its relation to Hextall are that the top free-agent newsmakers of that day probably need not bother checking in with Philadelphia before picking from one of many bidders.

So John Tavares need not inquire. Same likely goes for former Flyer James van Riemsdyk and Erik Karlsson.

But on defense, they could be thinking about contacting the representation teams for either John Moore (Devils) or Ian Cole (Columbus), two physical and solid all-around blueliners.

And up front, while adding one of the best centers in the game or a winger capable of adding 30 or more goals to the team total next season would be nice ... Hextall will instead move for a center with more of an underwhelming but nevertheless balanced game.

That could mean David Perron of Vegas and Tyler Bozak, an exile from Toronto after nine so-so years there, might pique Hextall’s interest. Instead, however, with some $20 million in salary cap space, he ought to go all out to get Paul Stastny, who is pricey (a $5.41 million average on his last deal) but can do a lot of things and do them well.

Another good option would be grinding center Jay Beagle, who will leave the Capitals amid a latehour bidding war that is supposed to be going on for him.

Either way, Hextall has made the pledge to get involved, presuming the conditions are correct to do so. That means nothing real long term (three years max) and nothing resembling the kind of salary he pays his top players.

“If the fit’s right, if the term is and it works out cap-wise,” Hextall said. “We’re trying to get better for today without sacrificing (tomorrow).”

*** Hextall has said improving Phantoms defenseman Philippe Myers will have a shot to make the big club out of training camp this summer, since the undrafted former minor league free agent made so many leaps and bounds during the Phantoms’ playoff run last spring.

That said, here’s former defenseman and current Flyers’ player development boss Kjell Samuelsson on Myers Thursday: “If he had played a whole year, maybe he’d be close. (But) he was hurt a lot. I think he needs more time in the minors.”

Also, Brandon Manning was expected to be in the unrestricted free agent group, though Hextall has left the door open to possibly offering him a contract should the Flyers basically can’t find anyone better in the market or via a trade.

*** The Flyers’ prospects camp continues today, giving potential future franchise player Morgan Frost another chance to eat a free meal or six before and afterward. He’s been on a pumpme-up binge since his remarkable last season

“Kind of just since the end of the season I put that to use,” Frost said of his bigger frame, which has come since the end of a remarkable junior season (42 goals, 112 points) for Sault Ste. Marie. “I finished the season around 175 (in May) and I’ve been taking some time off trying to eat a lot and get stronger.”

By Thursday, the start of the camp, Frost had gotten his thin frame bulked to 181. And rising.

“I’d like to play around that weight,” said Frost, the reason Ron Hextall traded Brayden Schenn to move up in the first round of the 2017 draft. “As long as I can try and keep it over 180 that’d be ideal for me.”

It’s even fun trying to get there.

“I don’t know what came over me,” he said, “but all of a sudden I have a bigger appetite lately.”