Shane Harper signs with Flyers

Published 10:47 am Thursday, March 4, 2010

Tips winger Shane Harper has signed with the Philadelphia Flyers. The deal is reportedly a three-year entry-level deal that kicks in next season.

Harper, who turned 21 in February, became Everett’s all-time career goal scorer earlier this season, and the Valencia, Calif., native set the franchise single-season record when he potted his 39th in Tuesday’s 5-2 victory at Kamloops.

This contract is well deserved because to me Harper is the poster child for WHL player development. Though he went unselected in the bantam draft, and though he wasn’t really even on the radar through three NHL drafts, he’s taken steps forward in each of his five seasons in Everett to become the player he is today. He went from being someone with skill who wasn’t particularly fast and was easily knocked off the puck, to being a dominant offensive force who’s an excellent skater with a deadly shooting eye. And now he’s proof positive that persistence pays off.