VOORHEES, N.J. -- Unless the unexpected occurs this summer, Nick Schultz will play the final two games of his 15-year career this weekend, certainly the final two for the Flyers.
"Well, I was offered a three-year deal and we'll see if I sign it," Schultz kidded after Friday's final practice at Skate Zone. "I'm contemplating."
It's been a long journey for one of the league's genteel soldiers from Strasbourg, Saskatchewan, who has played over 1,000 games, three of them in strong hockey markets -- Minnesota, Edmonton and Philadelphia.
Schultz spent the first 10 years of his career with the Wild.
Jacques Lemaire and Mike Ramsey mentored him. Lemaire taught him correct defensive positioning. Ramsey taught him how NHL defensemen use their stick against stronger forwards.
"He does all the little things that most people who watch a hockey game don't realize," Mark Streit said of Schultz last season during his 1,000th-game celebration.
"It goes under the radar. As teammates, you appreciate the small things. Making a little play, taking a hit, blocking a ton of shots, just the kind of guy he is in the locker room."
NHL
The Flyers plan on adding Sam Morin and one other young Phantoms defenseman next season. That means Schultz and Michael Del Zotto, another pending free agent, will not return.
"You never know when it's over," Schultz said. "Just go out and have fun. If it happens this summer and it's over, I've been fortunate to play for a long time. Go out and have fun and enjoy every chance you have."
The Flyers initially signed Schultz in July 2014 during free agency as a seventh defenseman. When Kimmo Timonen's blood clots were discovered, they signed Del Zotto.
Schultz had been a regular nearly his entire career. His fortunes changed quickly once Braydon Coburn broke his foot in the team's season-opener in Boston.
"Coming in [here], I was a seventh guy and then Coburn got hurt that first game and it kinda changed the scenario for me," Schultz said. "I was fortunate in that regard."
He played 80 games that season, 81 last season, even with the addition of Evgeny Medvedev and Shayne Gostisbehere, but when this season began, the club had Andrew MacDonald here full time and added rookie Ivan Provorov.
That pushed Schultz to the eighth defenseman, which is why he's played just 26 games, being a healthy scratch most nights.
"He's been a guy who showed up whether in the lineup or out of the lineup and done his job each and every day with good preparation," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said of Schultz's two seasons under him.
Sitting out hasn't been easy.
"This is the first year I've gone through this," Schultz said. "It's a progression of that's the way it goes when you get to end of your career. You see it happening. You have good young players come in and develop. It's all part of it. It's natural.
"When it comes to the end, it's such a drastic change from when you are used to training and getting ready for another year. That is all guys have known their whole life."
Schultz admitted it would be hard to uproot his family just to play one year somewhere else. He's already talked to his wife about moving their family -- a boy and two girls -- back to Western Canada.
His son, Jake, who is 10, has some unfinished business.
"I think he would be fine if we went back, but he really wants to get to the talent show next year in the fifth grade," Schultz said. "They do a talent show. I'm not sure what his talent is in fifth grade. I guess he has a lot of time to work on it."
Loose pucks
Steve Mason will start in goal Saturday afternoon against Columbus. … Look for Anthony Stolarz to return from the Phantoms and start Sunday's season finale against Carolina. … Roman Lyubimov reenters the lineup against the Blue Jackets with Chris VandeVelde and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Lyubimov has sat 12 consecutive games. … Nick Cousins is expected to play one or both games this weekend. He has missed 11 games with a concussion but has been healthy since March 30.