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.
Rounding out the signings headed for Allentown are forward Jack Studnicka and defenseman Cam Dineen.
Studnicka split last season between Florida in the NHL and Charlotte in the AHL The 27-year-old former 2nd-round selection of the Boston Bruins in 2017 is a veteran of 126 games at the top level. Dineen, 28, is a native of Toms River, New Jersey, having played just 38 games with the Coyotes and Oilers after Arizona selected him in the 3rd round of the 2016 draft.
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