July 01, 2016
NHL free agency has only officially been open for a few hours, and the Philadelphia Flyers have already made a few moves to help add some depth on offense for next season and beyond.
In addition to agreeing with Dale Weise on a four-year, $9.4 million deal, general manager Ron Hextall and co. have also reached deals with forwards Boyd Gordon, Andy Miele, and Greg Carey.
They also announced the addition of defenseman Will O’Neill.
Let's take a quick look at each.
Gordon, a former first-round pick (Washington, 2002), is a 13-year NHL vet who spent the 2015-16 season with the Coyotes and recorded just four points (2G, 2A) in 65 games.
He should allow captain Claude Giroux to move off the penalty kill, but his arrival -- in addition to that of the other two forwards signed by the Flyers -- spells the end of Ryan White's time in Philadelphia.
Hextall adamant about getting Giroux off the PK it sounds like. Boyd Gordon will do that.
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) July 1, 2016
Confirms that Ryan White will not be back.
The 6-foot, 200-pound Gordon doesn't necessarily bring offensive firepower to the Orange and Black, but will certainly provide some depth, perhaps somewhere on the fourth line. In 693 career games, the 32-year-old has notched 160 points (55G, 105A).
On the other hand, Miele, 28, has the skills to be a scorer, but has just 15 games of NHL experience under his belt. His contract will reportedly be a one-way deal and he's likely headed to Lehigh Valley. A former Hobey Baker Award winner (2011), the 5-foot-9, 180-pound forward finished last season as the AHL's sixth-leading scorer in 78 games with Grand Rapids, the Red Wings' AHL affiliate.
The 26-year-old Carey comes to the Flyers after going undrafted and spending last season with the AHL's Springfield Falcons. In 64 games with the Falcons last season, the 5-foot-10, 204-pound forward posted 26 goals and 17 assists (43 points) in 64 games. In 106 career AHL games over the past three seasons (Springfield and Portland), Carey recorded 51 points (29G, 22A) after playing his college hockey at St. Lawrence in New York. 29 goals and 22 assists for 51 points. He began his pro career following a four-year career at St. Lawrence University in New York.
The lone defenseman of the group, O’Neill was an All Star last season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate and ranked third among defensemen with 50 points (8G, 42A) in 74 games. In 280 career AHL games, the 26-year-old blue liner has recorded 157 points (31G, 126A).
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