After signing Matvei Michkov yesterday and extending Garnet Hathaway’s stay for a few additional years, the Philadelphia Flyers signed center Anthony Richard to a two-year, two-way deal worth $1.55 million. The contract has a $775,000 AAV.
Richard, 27, scored 20 goals and added 35 assists for 55 points in 59 games with the AHL’s Providence Bruins. He was second on the team in goals, power play goals and tied for second in shorthanded goals so it’s clear he can play at even strength and on special teams. He also had a stint with the Bruins where he scored a goal and had two assists in nine games.
Richard will more than likely, barring a rash of injuries to the Flyers roster, spend this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate. He has played a total of 24 NHL games which includes his Bruins stint, 13 games with Montreal in 2022-23 and one game for Nashville in each of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. His best season in the AHL was with the Laval Rocket in 2022-23 where he scored 30 goals and 37 assists for 67 points in just 60 games. He was originally drafted by Nashville in the fourth round (100th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, just two spots after the Flyers selected Samuel Dove-McFalls in he fourth round. Richard (5’11”, 185 lbs), has 300 points in 481 AHL games spread over nine seasons. His AHL career includes stops with Providence, Laval, Syracuse, Chicago and Milwaukee.
In terms of this current contract it is actually the longest contract Richard has had since his entry-level contract with Nashville was signed in November, 2015. Once his ELC was completed it’s been two one-year contracts with the Predators, a one-year deal with Montreal and another one-year deal with Boston.
