Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Brière has announced that the club has signed forward Rhett Gardner to a two year, two-way contract.
The contract carries an average annual value of $775,000 at the NHL level.
This is the second free agent signing the Flyers made on the first day of free agency, as they signed forward Ryan Poehling to a one-year, $1.4 million deal earlier in the afternoon.
Gardner was a 4th round pick by the Dallas Stars in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has appeared in 40 NHL games, all with the Stars.
Gardner scored his first, and to date only, NHL goal back on March 21st, 2021 in a home matchup against the Nashville Predators.
He has 1 goal and 1 assist in his NHL career to accompany 10 penalty minutes and a -9 rating.
Gardner last appeared in the NHL during a 4-game recall in January of 2022.
Despite a lack of production at the NHL level, Gardner has carved out a solid career in the AHL. In 205 career contests, Gardner has recorded 30 goals and 55 assists for 85 points along with 188 penalty minutes and a +13 rating.
Gardner is coming off a career campaign with the Texas Stars, racking up 10 goals and 30 assists for 40 points in 71 games. He also posted 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 8 contests in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, in which he led all Texas skaters in each category.
The 27-year-old native of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan is expected to spend the season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
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