The Flyers must place Emery on waivers, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, because Emery played in Europe earlier this season.
Philadelphia had been searching for goaltending depth behind Steve Mason, who has started seven straight games, since Michal Neuvirth sustained a lower-body injury. Rookie Anthony Stolarz had been backing up Mason but has yet to play an NHL game. Philadelphia also lost veteran Jason LaBarbera for the season because of an injury; he had been splitting time with Stolarz at Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League.
The Flyers have six games remaining in the regular season but three sets of back-to-backs, starting Saturday against the Ottawa Senators and Sunday at the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Philadelphia leads the Detroit Red Wings by two points in the race for the final wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the Eastern Conference and has one game in hand. Detroit plays the Minnesota Wild on Friday at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; NHLN, FS-N, FS-D+).
Emery, 33, started the season as a training camp invite with the Tampa Bay Lightning but was released. He had three-game AHL stints with Ontario and Toronto, affiliates of the Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs, and also played for Mannheim in Germany, where he had a 2.86 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in seven games.
"It's been a long year for me," Emery said Wednesday after his first practice with the Flyers. "Finished off in Germany and then when our season got done I was still there. Heard they had some injuries here and they asked if I was in shape and if I'd be willing to come down. Of course it was a great idea for me. Here I am."
Emery had spent the previous two seasons with the Flyers as Mason's backup.
"I think it's great to have him back here," Mason said Wednesday. "[Emery] is one of the most well-liked guys in the locker room. Nice to have a friendly face back here. He's good for the team and for this stretch drive as well."
