Reports: Flyers To Sign 2 of Rick Tocchet’s Former Players
The Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year contract worth $5.4 million and defenseman Noah Juulsen to a one-year deal for $900,000. The two free agents…
The Philadelphia Flyers have reportedly signed center Christian Dvorak to a one-year contract worth $5.4 million and defenseman Noah Juulsen to a one-year deal for $900,000.
The two free agents both have experience playing for head coach Rick Tocchet.
Christian Dvorak
The 29-year-old center spent the first five of his nine NHL seasons with the Arizona Coyotes. Tocchet coached him for four seasons from 2017-2021.
Dvorak developed into a serviceable bottom-six center, which is the assumed role he’ll fill for the Flyers. He’s produced at a steady rate as a secondary scoring option, averaging 16 goals and 22 assists per 82 games during his NHL career.
He played all 82 regular-season and five playoff games for the surprising Montreal Canadiens in 2024-25.
The Flyers added a flashier center with a higher upside when they landed Trevor Zegras in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. Danny Briere pursued a steadier veteran fit in free agency without such a dynamic offensive skill set.
Dvorak adds a dependable lineup option for Rick Tocchet. Both Zegras and Sean Couturier, the projected top-six centers, have missed significant time with injuries in recent seasons. Jett Luchanko isn’t a lock for the NHL roster.
Dvorak’s lucrative $5.4 million cap hit reflects the growing market for centers while the NHL salary cap rises exponentially.
Noah Juulsen
The Flyers added blue line depth with 28-year-old Noah Juulsen. The former first-round pick swung back and forth between the AHL and the NHL through most of his mid 20s, but he's struggled with injuries more recently.
He left the Vancouver lineup in February 2025 and ultimately elected for a sports hernia surgery that kept him out for the remainder of the season.
Juulsen has recorded 17 points in 157 NHL games in parts of seven seasons for the Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, and Vancouver Canucks.
Tocchet deployed him heavily on the penalty kill during their two seasons together with the Canucks. He finished second on the team in average shorthanded ice time in 35 games in 2024-25.
