Transactions: Ābols and Eklind Sign Contract Extensions

Big Forwards Return to Organization in 2025-26

May 15, 2025

Allentown, PA – The Philadelphia Flyers have re-signed forwards Rodrigo Ābols and Oscar Eklind each to one-year contract extensions, according to General Manager Daniel Briere.

Ābols, 29, spent the majority of the 2024-25 season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms where he scored 15 goals with 17 assists for 32 points in 47 regular season games. He also scored two goals in seven games in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Ābols also appeared in 22 games this season for the Flyers and registered two goals and three assists for five points.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound native of Riga, Latvia made his NHL debut at 29 years old on January 21, 2025 for the Flyers against the Detroit Red Wings and he scored his first career NHL goal on February 4, 2025 at Utah. His first recall to the Flyers completed a long journey to the NHL which included 266 career games in Sweden over six seasons as well as an earlier stay in the AHL with Springfield five seasons earlier. He was originally selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round (184th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.

He is the son of Artis Ābols who is the head coach of the Latvia Juniors team that pulled off an incredible upset of Canada at the 2025 World Juniors Tournament.

Eklind, 26, played in North America for the first time in the 2024-25 season scoring 5-17-24 with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 64 games while also scoring one goal in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Prior to signing with the Flyers in April 2024, the Trelleborg, Sweden native played in the SHL. Eklind registered 30-28-58 and 125 PIM in 160 career contests in five SHL seasons (2016-18, 2021-24) with Malmo, Brynas IF, Gavle and Lulea HF. He collected 31-35-66 and 115 PIM in 183 career contests in four seasons (2017-21) with Patern IK and Mora IK of HockeyAllsvenskan.

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