Flyers trade Rinaldo to Bruins; re-sign VandeVelde

PHILADELPHIA - The Flyers traded veteran center Zac Rinaldo to the Boston Bruins for a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Rinaldo, 25, recently completed his fifth season in the Flyers organization.  In 2014-15, he recorded a goal and five assists for six points in 58 games, along with 102 PIM.

Rinaldo was selected by the Flyers in the sixth round (178th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and started his professional career in 2010 with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate, then the Adirondack Phantoms.  He made his NHL debut with the Flyers during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

In 223 career regular season games for the Flyers over four seasons (2011-2015), Rinaldo recorded eight goals and 16 assists for 24 points, along with 572 PIM.

Philadelphia Flyers also signed center Chris VandeVelde to a multi-year contract extensionl.

The 28-year-old is coming off a breakout season in which he recorded nine goals and six assists for 15 points in 79 games.  Prior to 2014-15, he had never appeared in more than 18 games in any of his previous four NHL seasons, and had posted a goal and three assists over 46 NHL games.

VandeVelde recorded six goals and an assist over a 10-game stretch from January 12 to February 5, including a three-game goal-scoring streak.  He also tied a career high with five shots on goal Feb. 15 in Buffalo. He was honored by his teammates at the end of the season with the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the Flyers’ most improved player from the previous season.

VandeVelde originally signed a minor-league contract with the Flyers in the summer of 2013 and was signed to an NHL deal that December.  He signed another one-year contract with the Flyers last July.

A native of Moorhead, Minnesota, VandeVelde played four seasons at the University of North Dakota for current Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol before beginning his professional career with the Edmonton organization in 2010.  He was originally drafted by the Oilers in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.