Mike Knuble Signs Up for Second Tour with Philadelphia Flyers

Mike Knuble is back with the Philadelphia Flyers.

A 16-year NHL veteran, Knuble signed a one-year contract with Philadelphia on Friday after forward Scott Hartnell was lost for the next four to eight weeks with a broken foot suffered in a loss to New Jersey Thursday, according the Associated Press (via ESPN).

Knuble suited up in Saturday's 7-1 win against the Florida Panthers, and picked up an assist on Matt Read's goal.

Prior to rejoining the Flyers, Knuble had signed a 25-game professional tryout contract with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins after being released earlier this month by their parent club, the Detroit Red Wings. He was free to sign with any NHL club that came calling for his services while he was with the Griffins, and did so after playing in just one game with Grand Rapids, where he recorded an assist.

"It was good. It was in my hometown. It was important. [I'm] pretty shocked that it wasn’t a little bit longer," Knuble said to NHL.com of playing with the Griffins. "I thought I had two, three weeks before anything would pop up, but it was fun. Good experience. It’s funny to say, but I wish it would have been a couple more games there."

Knuble, 40, has also played with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals in his NHL career. In 1,040 NHL regular-season games prior to this season, Knuble had tallied 274 goals and 266 assists for 540 points while collecting 621 penalty minutes. In 65 Stanley Cup playoff outings, he has recorded 14 goals and 16 assists for 30 points to go along with 38 penalty minutes.

He spent last season with Washington, collecting six goals and 18 points in 72 contests. His best NHL campaign came in 2005-06 with Philadelphia when he registered 34 goals and 31 assists (65 points)—all career highs—in 82 appearances.

Knuble played at the University of Michigan from 1991 to 1995 and scored 103 goals with 72 assists in those four seasons. He had three 20-goal campaigns and two 30-goal seasons with the Wolverines, while helping them to four consecutive NCAA tournament berths and three Frozen Fours.

Born in Toronto, Knuble grew up in West Michigan in the Grand Rapids suburb of Kentwood, and was a two-time 50-goal scorer at East Kentwood High School. The 6'3'', 230-pound winger began his NHL career in 1996-97 with Detroit, and earned a Stanley Cup championship ring with the Red Wings the following year after appearing in 52 regular-season games.