According to TSN, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed former Flyer Arron Asham to a one-year, $700,000 contract. Asham was a healthy scratch for the Flyers during the beginning of the season but broke into the line-up shortly after. He spent the latter half of the season on the third line with James VanRiemsdyk and Claude Giroux, but also spent decent minutes on the first line with captain Mike Richards and Simon Gagne.
Drafted #71 overall in the 1996 draft by the Montreal Canadiens, Asham has spent his career as a hard-nosed, grinding winger with a decent shot (and one or two deke moves here and there). The last three teams he played for were the Flyers, the New Jersey Devils, and the New York Islanders; should he sign with the New York Rangers next year, he will have competed with every Atlantic Division team.
This signing is a sharp depth move for the Pens. I’ve said before that losing Asham isn’t a complete loss for the Flyers if they manage to upgrade in the third line winger position, but by all indications, the Flyers will not be making any bold moves before training camp opens in September. I expect Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren will invite a few unsigned free agents to camp to fight for that position among his current forwards and Phantoms.
I thought he was a pretty decent player and would rather have him on the ice than D Garcillo..
not too big of a deal, pitts still need top line wingers but they are still a top 4 team in the conference as is philly
Flyers will be slightly above a .500 club next year.. no way does Pitts/Washington both get knocked out early in the Playoffs and leave the door open for the Flyers again, they blew a great opportunity in 2009 and it will be another 10 years before they have that chance again…