Veteran forward Mike Knuble returns to Flyers on one-year pact

Sunrise, FL, United States (4E Sports) – Mike Knuble inked a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers that will pay him a pro-rated salary of $750,000.

He cleared his medicals Friday morning.

“I never really wanted to go, and I said that at the time,” said Knuble who last played for the Flyers in 2009. “It’s a place where you feel very comfortable. The staff, the people you see at the rink every day, you know your way around [the city]. It’s a great organization and a place I kind of had to leave because of salary-cap reasons.”

Knuble, 40, will wear jersey No. 9 instead of his familiar No. 22, which defenseman Luke Schenn now sports.

He will be available to play in this weekend’s back-to-back set in Florida. The Flyers are already without forwards Scott Hartnell (left foot), Danny Briere (left wrist), and Zac Rinaldo (right leg laceration), in addition to defenseman Andrej Meszaros (left shoulder).

Knuble failed to earn a contract for a 16th NHL season and took a Detroit Red Wings offer to play for the team’s AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich. The 25-game contract allowed for an out-clause in the event of an NHL deal.

Once the season started, Knuble was confident that teams with injuries would be looking for help. No team has been hit harder than the Flyers in the first week of the season.

Knuble said he is “realistic” when asked about his upcoming role on the team.

“A guy like me, I’ll be a spot-filler, and I’ll fill some holes at times,” Knuble said. “I’ll play where I’m needed to play and I’ll try to do my best in that role that night.”

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