Flyers Make 8 Depth Signings as Free Agency Begins

The Flyers had some cap space entering free agency, but with the uncertainty of contracts for restricted free agents like Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny, Chuck Fletcher’s hands were relatively tied from making any significant signings.

The Flyers announced eight depth signings as free agency opened on Monday afternoon. They signed forwards Kurtis Gabriel and Kyle Criscuolo to one-year, two-way deals, defensemen Nate Prosser, Tyler Wotherspoon and Chris Bigras to two-year, two-way deals and goalie Jean-Francois Berube to a one-year, two-way deal. They also signed forward Andy Andreoff to a two-year, one-way deal and defenseman Andy Welinski to a one-year, one-way deal.

Andreoff, 28, spent the 2018-19 season in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. He scored 26 goals and had 55 points in 75 games. He spent the previous three seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, scoring 11 goals and 21 points over 141 games.

Welinski, 26, spend the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks organization, splitting time between the NHL and AHL. In 26 games with the Ducks last season, Welinski had a goal and three assists. In 27 games with the San Diego Gulls, he had eight goals and 19 points. Prior to last season, Welinski had played in just seven NHL games.

Prosser, 33, has spent the majority of his career with the Minnesota Wild organization. Prosser has played in 354 NHL games in his career with 10 goals and 47 points. In 31 games with the Iowa Wild in the AHL, he had one goal and eight points.

Gabriel, 26, was a third-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in 2013. He played 26 games for the Wild over two seasons with one assist. In 22 games with the Devils last season, he had two goals and two assists. He is mainly an AHL depth signing.

Berube, 27, spent the 2018-19 season in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, posting a 3.01 GAA and .896 save percentage in 43 games. He spent two seasons with the New York Islanders playing in 21 NHL games and played in 13 games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017-18.

Wotherspoon, 26, played last season with the San Antonio Rampage in the AHL, scoring four goals and 22 points in 70 games. He has played in 30 NHL games over the last four seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Bigras, 24, played in 54 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season, scoring three goals and 22 points. In 46 NHL games with Colorado, he has one goal and three assists.

Criscuolo, 27, is a local product out of Southampton Township in Burlington County, NJ and attended St. Joseph's Prep. After a four-year career at Harvard, he signed with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2016, scoring 17 goals and 41 points in 76 games. He has spent the last two seasons in the Buffalo Sabres organization, appearing in nine games for the Sabres in the 2017-18 season. In 174 career AHL games, Criscuolo has 38 goals and 95 points.

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN and Flyers editor for SportsTalkPhilly.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.