Fourth-line roulette continues as NCAA champion Acciari signs for 2 years

With the subtractions of Nic Deslauriers and Garnet Hathaway, the Philadelphia Flyers had some minor holes to fill on the bottom forward line.

They managed to snag a veteran grinder to suit their needs early in free agency on Wednesday, announcing the signing Noel Acciari to a 2-year deal at $2.8 million average annual value. 

According to PuckPedia, the deal breaks down to $2.2M salary plus $1M bonus this season, then $1.7M salary and $700K bonus for next year. 

Acciari spent the previous three seasons with the rival Pittsburgh Penguins, totaling 13 goals and 25 points over 67 games in 2025-26, while winning 52% of all faceoffs. He finished the 6-game opening round series defeat to the Flyers by winning 61% of his faceoffs.

An undrafted free agent who was born and raised outside Providence, Rhode Island, he broke in with the Boston Bruins during the 2015-16 season after a 3-year stint with the Providence Friars. Included in that collegiate career was an NCAA title in 2015 and recognition as Hockey East Best Defensive Forward.

Over 585 regular-season appearances and 71 playoff contests, the 34-year-old right-handed shooter has compiled 87 goals and 154 points along with a 51.4% faceoff acumen for Boston, Florida, St. Louis, Toronto and Pittsburgh. He appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins in 2019, a 7-game loss to the Blues.

In another move to snag a fourth-liner from the depths of Hockey East, the Flyers also announced the signing of Northeastern product and former Columbus Blue Jacket spare part, Zack Aston-Reese. ZAR, an undrafted 31-year-old born on Staten Island, is a double-barreled veteran of 416 regular-season and 29 playoff appearances across parts of 9 seasons for the Penguins, Ducks, Leafs, Red Wings and Columbus.

Aston-Reese, who shares the same agent (Dan Milstein) as goaltender Dan Vladar, was brought into the fold on a 2 year deal, which -- according to Milstein himself -- will pay the wandering winger $850,000 1 way for the upcoming season, then a $700k/$900k split in 2027-28.

And a third Milstein-based signing was consummated later in the afternoon, with minor-leaguer Danila Klimovich warranting a 1-year contract. No official terms were released, but several sources indicate it is a 2-way deal worth $850K.

Klimovich, a 23-year-old Belarusian, was originally selected in the 2nd round of the 2021 draft. He spent the last 5 seasons with Abbotsford in the American Hockey League.