Flyers sign four to AHL deals

The Flyers have signed four players to AHL contracts for next season, the team announced Wednesday.

The four are goaltender Nicola Riopel, and defensemen Logan Stephenson, J.P. Testwuide and Jesse Dudas.

Riopel was the Flyers' fifth-round pick of the 2009 NHL entry draft. Last season, the 21-year old goalie played in 11 games for the team's AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. He also played for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Stephenson, 24, will be in his second season with the Phantoms. In 2009-10, the Outlook, Saskatchewan, native appeared in 62 games for Adirondack, posting a goal and seven assists while collecting 140 penalty minutes. He was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the second round of the 2004 NHL entry draft.

Testwuide, 25, played for the AHL Houston Aeros last season. The Vail, Colo., native is the older brother of forward Mike Testwuide, who signed a contract with the Flyers in March.

And Dudas, 22, played with Bloomington of the International Hockey League, and Corpus Christi of the Central Hockey League in 2009-10. Originally from St. Albert, Alberta, Dudas spent six seasons in the Western Hockey League with Lethbridge, Swift Current and Regina.

The Phantoms will play a regular season game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 21.