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Umberger expects Flyers to buy him out

That Scott Hartnell trade certainly didn’t work out like the Philadelphia Flyers wanted and R.J. Umberger is well aware of that.

Just two years after the Flyers acquired Umberger and a fourth round pick (Austin Wagner) from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exhange for Hartnell, Umberger now believes Philadelphia will buy him out.

“I expect one,” he told CSN Philly. “Who wouldn’t after my season? That’s something up to them, their decision. Business side of it, you can’t control that.”

Umberger was limited to just 15 points in 67 contests in 2014-15, but injuries were a factor. He was very optimistic coming into this season, asserting that he felt “like a different person”, but in the end he scored just two goals and 11 points in 39 contests. He was frequently listed as a healthy scratch and wasn’t used at all in the playoffs.

Umberger comes with a $4.6 million annual cap hit, but the 2016-17 campaign is the last season of his contract. Buying him out would save the Flyers $3 million in cap space next season, but cost them $1.5 million in 2017-18, per General Fanager.

This is the 33-year-old forward’s second stint with the Flyers as they were also the team he debuted with back in 2005. Philadelphia originally dealt him to Columbus in 2008 along with a 2008 fourth round pick (Drew Olson) in order to get a 2008 first round pick (Luca Sbisa) and third rounder (Marc-Andre Bourdon). From there Umberger reached the 20-goal milestone in four straight campaigns, but he hasn’t managed to hit that mark since 2011-12.