The Philadelphia Flyers today announced the club has signed defenseman Hunter McDonald to a two-year entry-level contract beginning with the 2024-25 season, according to General Manager Daniel Briere. McDonald is currently playing with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an AHL Pro Try-Out for the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
McDonald, 21 (5/11/02), totaled six points (1-5=6) and 32 penalty minutes in 23 games during the 2023-24 season with Northeastern University (Hockey East). The 6-foot-4, 220-pound native of Fairport, N.Y., led the Huskies in PIM and ranked second in blocked shots (52). He tallied a career-high five shots on Feb. 16 at UMass Lowell and recorded a season-high six blocked shots twice, both against Boston University, on Jan. 9 & Jan. 30. He missed 14 games from Oct. 8-Dec. 9 due to injury. The left-shot blueliner made his professional debut with Lehigh Valley on March 22 vs. Bridgeport and owns two assists and 10 PIM in nine contests with the Phantoms.
McDonald was selected by Philadelphia in the sixth round (165th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft. He collected 20 points (2-18=20) and 88 PIM in 58 career games with Northeastern University in two seasons (2022-24). He was named Hockey East’s 2022-23 Best Defensive Defenseman and to the All-Rookie Team. He was also named Hockey East Defender of the Week twice during the 2022-23 season and named Northeastern’s Rookie of the Year. Prior to his commitment to the Huskies, he registered 19 points (6-13=19) and 183 PIM in 90 career games with Omaha and Chicago of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in two seasons (2020-22).
