Michael Del Zotto signed a multiyear contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday.
Terms were not disclosed by the Flyers, but CSNPhilly.com reported it's a two-year, $7.75 million contract.
"I loved Philadelphia, didn't want to be stuck on a one-year deal and run the risk of being [an unrestricted free agent] next year," Del Zotto told CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio.
The 25-year-old defenseman, who became a restricted free agent July 1, was scheduled for salary arbitration July 21 after he rejected the Flyers' qualifying offer.
"It was getting closer and closer, obviously with the date being set for Tuesday morning," Del Zotto said. "Talks all along were going well, and we weren't far off. It was just a matter of getting a number that was fair for both sides."
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall had said he expected the sides would agree to a contract before reaching arbitration.
Del Zotto had 32 points (10 goals) with Philadelphia last season, second among Flyers defensemen and his most since 2011-12 with the New York Rangers. After splitting 2013-14 between the Rangers and Nashville Predators, he signed a one-year contract with the Flyers in August after defenseman Kimmo Timonen was diagnosed with blood clots in his right leg and lungs.
Philadelphia has eight defensemen on an NHL contract for this season, and highly touted defense prospects Ivan Provorov (No. 7 pick, 2015 NHL Draft), Travis Sanheim (No. 17 pick, 2014), Shayne Gostisbehere, Samuel Morin and Robert Hagg.
The Flyers would like to move at least one of the veterans to free up some salary-cap space.
"We're under the cap, albeit slightly when we plug Del Zotto in, and you want some space to call players up too,” Hextall said in early July. “We're close; we'd like to clear a little bit more, but you've got to have a partner there. We'll see as we move along here."
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.