VOORHEES — There were other offers. Some may even have been for more money.

Then Jordan Weal thought about how he ended last season — on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Wayne Simmonds, a point-per-game player in his last seven contests. He consulted family, friends and agents J.P. Barry and Mark Mackay.

DARK HORSE:Why Cole Bardreau could make the Flyers’ roster

PART I:Q&A with Flyers general manager Ron Hextall

PART II:Q&A with Flyers general manager Ron Hextall

In a rare situation to be an unrestricted free agent at the age of 25, Weal signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract to stay a Flyer.

“At the end of the day Philly was the one we chose because it was the best situation,” Weal said, in town early for veterans appear on-ice in training camp Sept. 15. “There’s trust from the whole organization and stuff like that and the comfortability is just something you can’t duplicate other places. I’m very grateful that we got something done and the Flyers and Ron Hextall and Dave (Hakstol) continue to give me an opportunity to play at this level.”

That last part was the kicker.

This year, Weal has an NHL spot that’s his to lose. Last year he was on the wrong side of a numbers game and started the season in the American Hockey League. The season before that he was traded from Los Angeles and had only played 10 career NHL games. With the Flyers amid a playoff push, they didn’t know they could put a rookie with no career NHL points in cold and have it help their cause.

That’s changed now after Weal put up eight goals and 12 points in 23 games last season.

“You have to look at the whole body of work,” Hextall, the team’s general manager, said last week. “When you look at Jordan’s work in the American League, then you look at the work he did in the National Hockey League last year — and again, it’s a small window — you put that together with the American League stuff in the playoffs where he played at a high, high level. Your evaluation comes from the NHL, but also prior. We’re comfortable that Jordan can be a skill part of our team, a player that we can count on.”

In 2015, Weal was the MVP of the Calder Cup playoffs. His 10 goals and 22 points in 19 postseason games helped the Manchester Monarchs to a championship.

But there’s a difference between the AHL and the NHL and, until last year, Weal didn’t have the opportunity to prove he could make that jump.

The Flyers insist there was something to be said for Weal’s 43 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season — he had 47 points and was named an All-Star — but the talented forward didn’t feel he had much left to prove at that level.

“I maybe needed a couple games in the beginning to find my game, but I think five games in when I was down there I was ready to go,” Weal said. “I found my game. I was getting my mojo back five games into the year. I was ready. I was just waiting for my opportunity and I was fortunate that it came. Even with 30 games left it’s a lot of time to leave your mark.”

Among players to suit up for at least 15 games, Weal led the Flyers in even-strength shot attempt percentage (Flyers shot attempts Weal was on the ice for divided by shot attempts by both teams while he was on the ice) with 55.86 percent, according to NHL.com. His eight goals after his recall on Feb. 10 last season ranked him third on the team in that timeframe.

A skilled center in the minors, Weal was able to translate that in the top league and at a different position. He played mostly left wing in his time last season and likely figures as the first- or second-line left wing heading into the season.

“I think the comfortability playing with those guys and the chemistry we were starting to build was a lot of fun,” Weal said. “I want to get back here and keep it going. We’ve got four great lines and seven great D-men and two great goalies here. We’ve got an opportunity to move forward and make a playoff push and go far in the playoffs as well.”

That playoff push might not have been available with some of the teams who showed interest in Weal — his hometown Vancouver Canucks and the expansion Vegas Golden Knights among the potential suitors.

Postseason play has become an expectation in Philadelphia, although the Flyers have missed the mark three times in the last five years. That wasn’t enough to have Weal chase a paycheck elsewhere.

“Comfortability is underrated because sometimes it can breed complacency,” he said, “but if you go the other way, it can instill confidence and trust in the people around you.”

With the Flyers, he now has that trust.

Dave Isaac; 856-486-2479; disaac@gannett.com