While it isn’t always the most fruitful path, signing undrafted players out of college is certainly one way for NHL teams to inject some talent for absolutely free, into their organization. Sometimes they become Martin St. Louis — or for more modern examples, high-end role players like Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski or San Jose Sharks forward Collin Graf — and sometimes turn into just everyday professionals who get to start playing hockey for money instead of an education.
For the Philadelphia Flyers, this is a path that they have walked down many times and most recently it was to nab one of the top available undrafted college players, in center Karsen Dorwart at the end of last season.