Flyers

Flyers Sign Noel Acciari to Two-Year, $2.8M Deal

By Matt Schultz

Published: Jul 1st, 2026 · 3:03 PM EDT

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Some Flyers news as NHL free agency heats up on Wednesday afternoon:

Noel Acciari 2 x $2.8M

Philadelphia

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2026

OFFICIAL: We have agreed to terms with forward Noel Acciari on a two-year contract worth an average annual value (AAV) of $2.8 million.

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) July 1, 2026

Noel Acciari is a veteran 34-year-old center who’s played 11 NHL seasons and spent the last three years on the Penguins. Last year he had 13 goals and 25 points in 67 regular-season games, and recorded one assist in six playoff games against the Flyers. 

Noel Acciari, signed 2x$2.8M by PHI, is a fourth line shutdown centre who crashes the net. pic.twitter.com/XfJOGy4X6l

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2026

This isn’t the splashy, franchise-altering guy fans are always hoping for in free agency, but that doesn’t mean Acciari isn’t a meaningful addition. He’s a gritty, defensive-minded forward whose game is built around hitting, blocking shots, and killing penalties, and he’s excelled in that role. For his career, he’s averaged 2.36 hits and 1.02 blocked shots per game, has won 51.4% of his faceoffs (he was 61st in the NHL in FO% last year), and has been one of the best penalty killers in the NHL.

Over the last three seasons, he ranks 12th among active forwards in shorthanded minutes, 1st among all forwards in shorthanded blocked shots, 20th in shorthanded hits, and 35th in shorthanded takeaways. He’s very, very good at this, and it’s an area where the Flyers desperately need help: Philly ranked 22nd on the penalty kill last season. 

I’m a fan of this signing. This is solid stuff. A few reasons why:

-This is the exact kind of role player Flyers fans love. He’ll mix it up in scrums, put his body on the line to block shots, and give Philly some juice with timely hits. I can picture Xfinity Mobile Arena going nuts for this guy. 

-Trevor Zegras and Noel Acciari mixed it up in the playoffs last year and now they’ll be on the same team, which is fun:

Newest Flyer Noel Acciari 😂 https://t.co/eUcVShiRst pic.twitter.com/9UXrgfeuit

— Travis Ballinghoff (@travieballin26) July 1, 2026

-Most importantly, Penguins fans are upset about this:

now i have to pretend to hate him

— •ash• (@crosbyterian) July 1, 2026

Cookie to the dark side…

— Pens System (@PensSystem) July 1, 2026

Noel just went from one of my favorites to least favorite. Maybe Zegras asked for this so he wouldn’t get his ass beat.

— Steve Jones (@SteveJo29924512) July 1, 2026

Acciari not like this 😭

— Cam 🐧 (@JrNailer21) July 1, 2026

Another Penguin’s fan favorite is no more….

— Petronius Arbiter (@PetroniusArbit) July 1, 2026

NOOOOOO

— #1 noel acciari fan (@pensinfive) July 1, 2026

Welcome to Philly, Acciari.