The Philadelphia Flyers have signed free agent forward Chris Stewart to a one-year, one-way contract worth $750,000 for the campaign. This contract carries him through the end of the 2019-20 season. TSN’s Frank Seravalli first reported the news.
Correction – it's a one-way deal worth $750k, with $50k signing bonus. Believe the cap hit comes out to ~$754k, but @CapFriendly will know best.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 15, 2019
Philadelphia Flyers Sign Chris Stewart
Over his 10-year NHL career Stewart has played for the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames. He has put up 160 goals and 161 assists for 321 career points in 652 career games. Colorado originally drafted him in the first round, 18th overall of the 2006 NHL Draft.
He last played in the NHL in the 2017-18 season with the Wild and Flames. Stewart had 10 goals and six assists for 16 points in 54 games. The Toronto native added 27 penalty minutes in that season. His Corsi was 42.6 and relative Corsi was -6.6.
Stewart spent last season with the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League in England. The 31-year-old posted six goals and seven assists in 23 games for the English club.
He was signed to a player tryout contract and did well enough in training camp to earn a spot on the roster. The veteran reunites with former Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher. Stewart played a pair of stints with Minnesota in 2014-15 and 2016 through 2018.
What This Means for the Future
Stewart’s return to the NHL is remarkable because most players that go overseas to the EIHL don’t usually make it back. However, Stewart has worked his way onto the roster.
This move is a depth signing that will likely make him a 12th or 13th forward for the club. He’ll also add a physical presence in the lineup and be a good locker room leader. Stewart could draw into the Flyers’ lineup for Tuesday night’s game against the Flames.
ST PAUL, MN – OCTOBER 31: Chris Stewart #10 of the Minnesota Wild waits for a face-off against the Winnipeg Jets during the game on October 31, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. The Jets defeated the Wild 2-1. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
