Jack Studnicka is joining the Philadelphia Flyers, one of four free agents GM Daniel Briere added Wednesday.
The Flyers announced deals for Studnicka, Danila Klimovich, Zach Aston-Reese and defenseman Cam Dineen.
Studnicka signed a two-year, two-way contract. Klimovich inked a one-year deal, per the team's own release.
None of these four are top-line names. This reads like a bottom-six and depth-chart swing, not a splash.
Studnicka spent this past season with Florida, appearing in 19 games without a goal or an assist and going minus-6.
His last 10 games with the Panthers were just as quiet, zero points and a minus-2 rating over that stretch.
Aston-Reese arrives from Columbus, where he posted 5 points in 27 games this season, including a goal in his last five outings.
Two of Philadelphia's new signings arrive with no NHL stat line at all
He's a depth winger who blocks shots and kills penalties. Nothing flashy, but Rick Tocchet has leaned on that type before.
Dineen and Klimovich don't carry NHL numbers from this past season. Both have spent their recent years on the AHL side of the ledger.
That tells you exactly what these signings are. Philadelphia is stacking organizational depth here, not chasing scoring punch.
Philadelphia finished the season 43-27-12 for 98 points, good for 11th overall and third in the Metropolitan.
They closed out on a three-game winning streak, going 7-3-0 over their final 10, capped by a 4-2 win over Montreal.
So why spend cap space on players who barely moved the needle for their old clubs? Briere hasn't offered much of an answer publicly.
Adding four bodies on modest, two-way heavy paper fills an AHL lineup card more than it changes an NHL bench.
If any of these four push for real playing time in Philadelphia, it likely comes from an injury, not a camp battle won outright.
-
Briere has now spent part of July 1st on depth instead of upgrades. Whether any of it ever dresses for the Flyers is the part nobody can answer yet.
Should the Flyers have spent July 1st chasing scoring help instead of four depth signings?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Blockbuster: one of the NHL's most sought-after forwards is finally traded
