Former Canucks prospect signs NHL contract to return to North America

   

A former Vancouver Canucks prospect is returning to North America and has landed an NHL contract for the 2024-25 season.

In a post on social media on Saturday, the Philadelphia Flyers announced that they've agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract for 2024-25 worth $775,000 with former Vancouver Canucks prospect Rodrigo Abols.

"The Philadelphia Flyers have signed forward Rodrigo Abols to a one-year, two-way $775,000 contract, according to General Manager Daniel Briere." The team said in a post on their official website.

Abols, 28, was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round, 184th overall back in 2016 but never signed with the team and returned to Europe after playing junior hockey for a couple of seasons in Canada.

The Riga native then returned to North America in 2019-20 to play for the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds and ECHL's Greenville Swamp Rabbits before going back to Europe once again. He's spent the last four seasons in the Swedish Hockey League - three with Orebro HK and this past year with Rogle BK.

In 50 games during the regular season with Rogle BK, Abols had 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists), ten penalty minutes and was a minus-18. He went on to add 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 15 playoff games.

Abols has become a mainstay for the Latvian national team since making his debut back in 2015, appearing in the 2022 Winter Olympics and helping the team to a bronze medal, alongside Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs, at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

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