Flyers Sign Goalie Martin Jones, Center Nate Thompson During NHL Free Agency
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Flyers have found their goaltending partner for Carter Hart and added center depth shortly after NHL free agency opened at 12 p.m. Wednesday.
The Flyers on Wednesday signed veteran goalie Martin Jones to a one-year, $2 million contract and center Nate Thompson to a one-year deal worth $800,000. The Keith Yandle signing also became official.
Jones was bought out on Tuesday by the San Jose Sharks, where he spent the past six seasons.
The 31-year-old has a connection with Flyers goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh, who was the Kings' director of goaltending development when the netminder was in Los Angeles.
The veteran goalie comes to Philadelphia after posting a 3.28 goals-against average and .896 save percentage in 34 games last season with San Jose.
In each of the past three seasons, Jones' save percentage has checked in at the .896 mark, with his GAA rising from 2.94 in 2018-19 to 3.00 in 2019-20 and then 3.28 last seasons.
Jones, however, does come with a checkered past. He backed up Jonathan Quick with the Kings when Los Angeles won the Stanley Cup in 2014, and then led the Sharks to a Stanley Cup Final in 2016.
During the 2016 postseason run, Jones posted a 2.16 GAA with a .923 save percentage. He finished seventh in Vezina Trophy voting that regular season after he won 37 games, posted a 2.27 GAA and .918 save percentage. He followed that season up with two strong campaigns in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
The Flyers are bringing Thompson back after acquiring him at the trade deadline during the 2019-20 season. The 36-year-old spent last season with the Winnipeg Jets, where he scored five points in 44 games.
Thompson played in seven games with the Flyers after he was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens at the trade deadline in February 2020, before the league paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. He then appeared in all 16 playoff games in the Toronto bubble, averaging 12:37 in ice time and winning over 60% of his faceoffs.
Thompson figures to slot onto the Flyers' fourth line or as their extra forward this fall. He'll bring a veteran presence who's strong in the faceoff circle and help with the team's penalty kill.
Meanwhile, the Flyers made the Yandle signing official.
"Once I became a free agent, the first team that I looked at was the Philadelphia Flyers," Yandle said. "Obviously, having [Alain Vigneault] before and playing with Kevin Hayes helped my decision. What Chuck [Fletcher] has done this offseason bringing in guys and putting the team in a place where it gives us the opportunity to succeed is a big thing for me. I know for me, all I want to do is win and coming to the Flyers gives me the best chance for that."
The Flyers also signed defenseman Adam Clendening to a two-way contract, according to SportsNet's Elliotte Friedman.
