PHILADELPHIA, July 26 -- The Philadelphia Flyers added depth up the middle Wednesday by signing unrestricted free agent center Derek Plante to a one-year, $400,000 contract.
Plante, 29, spent last season with the Dallas Stars and Chicago Blackhawks, combining for two goals and two assists in 33 games.
He was acquired by the Blackhawks on Feb. 8 with defenseman Kevin Dean and a 2001 second-round draft pick for defensemen Sylvain Cote and Dave Manson.
"Our feeling is, not knowing what Eric Lindros is going to do, this would give us at least five centermen," Flyers general manager Bob Clarke said. "The last couple of years haven't been so good for Plante, but we believe he is young enough and talented enough to bounce back. We look at this as depth."
Lindros, a former Hart Trophy winner, is coming off three concussions in less than three months. He is at odds with Clarke and has yet to decide whether he will accept the Flyers' one-year, $8.5 million qualifying offer.
The speedy Plante is a three-time 20-goal scorer, including a career-best 27 for Buffalo in 1996-97. He has 95 goals and 150 assists in 438 NHL games with the Sabres, Stars and Blackhawks.
"I'm super excited," he said. "It's a great hockey team and a great organization. Players talk among themselves and everybody that's played there that I've talked to has loved it."
Plante joins left wing Kevin Stevens as free agents who have signed with the Flyers during the offseason.
