The Montreal Canadiens have agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract with free-agent forward Phil Varone.
Varone, the American Hockey League’s MVP in 2017-18, appeared in a career-high 47 NHL games with Philadelphia last season, tallying three goals and four assists. He also registered 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 22 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
A ninth-year pro from Vaughan, Ont., Varone has played 488 regular-season games in the AHL with Lehigh Valley, Binghamton and Rochester, notching 123 goals and 273 assists for 396 points. He totaled 23-47-70 in 74 games during his MVP campaign two years ago, and was an AHL All-Star in 2015.
Originally selected by San Jose in the fifth round of the 2009 NHL Draft, Varone has compiled eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 97 career NHL games with Philadelphia, Ottawa and Buffalo.
