Flyers reportedly re-sign Rodrigo Abols to one-year deal

The Philadelphia Flyers have officially made a transaction. For their first of what could be several this summer, they have retained the services of a useful depth center that can be an organizational farmhand, reportedly re-signing Rodrigo Abols.

According to PuckPedia, the Flyers have re-signed Abols to a one-year, one-way deal with an $800,000 salary.

The 29-year-old center was going to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, available to either stay in North America with a separate NHL organization or return back to a European league overseas. In 22 games with the Flyers last season, Abols scored two goals and five points while making 25 shots on goal primarily playing on the fourth line, averaging just 9:11 TOI.

Back in June 2024, Abols signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Flyers as an unrestricted free agent, making his return to North America after playing multiple years in the SHL. He began last season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he scored 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists) in 34 games. In January, when the Flyers needed anyone at all that could play the position of center, he was recalled to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on January 21, in a 2–1 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings and then eventually scored his first career goal a couple weeks later against the Utah Hockey Club.

The major takeaway from this new deal is the transition from a two-way deal to a one-way for Abols. Previously, Abols was making a salary of $450,000 whenever he was in the AHL with the Phantoms, compared to his $775,000 league-minimum salary in the NHL. Now, he will be making the same $800,000 no matter what league he is playing in. That means the Flyers value what he was able to do for both teams last season and wanted to reward him for it.

The Latvian center will almost certainly start next season on the Phantoms, barring multiple injuries or confusing trades. Especially considering that by all accounts the Flyers will be adding some sort of security at the center position this summer, and will be starting next season with a slightly elevated expectation, Abols should find himself deeper down in the center depth chart.

Abols is a valuable piece to the team to play as a serviceable fourth-line center just in case something has gone wrong. He isn’t the quickest or most skilled forward, but can hold his own in a depth role. Flyers just building more of a foundation.

Not the most exciting first transaction of the summer, but we can’t complain.