Or any of the NHL's other coveted free agents.

Instead, the Flyers signed four free agents - none with the appeal of the above trio - and made a minor deal with the Los Angeles Kings in which they unloaded Denis Gauthier and his $2.2 million salary.

The Flyers signed unrestricted free-agent forwards Glen Metropolit and Nate Raduns, along with unrestricted free-agent defensemen Ossi Vaananen and Sean Curry. Vaananen and Metropolit are the only players among those four with NHL experience.

The moves weren't flashy - the club didn't have cap room to lure a marquee free agent - but general manager Paul Holmgren believes that they will complement the club's strong young nucleus.

"We had a list of guys we targeted, and we think we did good," Holmgren said.

Saying he probably wouldn't make any other major moves, Holmgren believes that Vaananen and Metropolit will play important roles next season.

"Vaananen is a good skater and he can shut down the other team's top guy," Holmgren said. "With him and [Steve] Eminger, we've made the defense a lot better."

Holmgren said the top-flight free-agent defensemen were "too expensive to take on."

Vaananen, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder who signed a one-year contract for $1 million, recorded seven goals, eight assists and 102 penalty minutes while playing 45 games in Sweden last season. In 430 career NHL games over six seasons with Phoenix and Colorado, he collected 12 goals, 45 assists and 460 penalty minutes. Vaananen, 27, originally was selected by Phoenix in the second round (43d overall) of the 1998 draft.

Metropolit, 34, who signed a two-year deal, had 11 goals and 22 assists in 82 games with the Boston Bruins last season. In 262 career NHL games with five teams, the 5-10, 195-pounder has 35 goals and 78 assists for 113 points.

"He's a good utility player, not unlike R.J. [Umberger, who was traded on June 20] - although not as big," Holmgren said. "He can play a lot of roles and play a lot of positions. He's a high-energy player and competitive, and a real good fit for our team."

Raduns, 24, had 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) while playing 56 regular-season games with the AHL Worcester Saints last season, his first year as a pro.

Curry, 26, registered 13 goals, 25 assists and 132 penalty minutes in 72 regular-season games for the AHL's Providence Bruins.

Earlier in the day, the Flyers acquired defenseman Patrik Hersley and left winger Ned Lukacevic - two minor-leaguers in the Kings' system who are expected to battle for spots with the Phantoms - for defenseman Gauthier and the club's second-round pick in the 2010 draft.

Hersley, 22, spent last season between the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, and their ECHL affiliate, the Reading Royals. He collected a combined 27 points in 62 games.

A Sweden native, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Hersley was selected by Los Angeles in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2005 draft.

The 6-foot, 185-pound Lukacevic, 22, had 17 goals and 19 assists in 61 regular-season games for Reading last season. The Serbia native was drafted by the Kings in the fourth round (110th overall) in 2004.

Gauthier, 31, had 18 points in 78 regular-season games with the Phantoms last year.

Jones, Cote sign. Defenseman Randy Jones and right winger Riley Cote signed and stayed off the free-agent market.

Jones signed a two-year, $5.5 million deal, while Cote signed a three-year pact for $1.65 million.

Jones, a puck-moving defenseman, said he was excited to "prove" he's worth the contract "and more."

Smith almost gone. Defenseman Jason Smith, last year's captain, is exploring the free-agent market. "I think he's going to make a lot more money than we can give him," Holmgren admitted.

Mike Richards is among the top captain candidates.

Holmgren said that center Jim Dowd, 39, probably would not be offered a contract, and that injured defenseman Mike Rathje, 34, will not be able to play next season.