The Arizona Coyotes moved quickly when the NHL’s free agency period opened Friday, signing a pair of forwards in former Philadelphia Flyer Tyler Pitlick and ex-New Jersey Devil John Hayden.

The Coyotes will also have captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson back next season. The team couldn’t reach an agreement on a deal with either of the two teams for which Ekman-Larsson would have waived his no-move contract clause, the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins.

Ekman-Larsson’s agent had set a deadline for the Coyotes to trade the veteran defenseman by the start of free agency, or Ekman-Larsson would remain in Arizona.

Pitlick, 28, is set to join his fourth NHL team in five seasons and received a two-year, $3.5 million contract, his agent confirmed via Twitter. He scored eight goals with 12 assists in 63 games with the Flyers last season.

Pitlick also led Flyers forwards in hits with 132 hits and 42 blocked shots, and was a key part of their penalty kill unit. He played in all 16 of the Flyers’ postseason games this past summer and had two goals and an assist.

Hayden, 25, played 43 games with the Devils last season and had three goals and an assist with 77 penalty minutes. The former Chicago Blackhawks third-round draft pick received a one-year deal, confirmed by the Coyotes Friday afternoon.

“We are very pleased to have John join our organization,” Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong said in a statement from the team. “John is a big, tough, physical winger who is difficult to play against. He is also a smart player with good hockey sense. He will add size and grit for our forward group.”

This story will be updated.

Get in touch with Jose Romero at [email protected]. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.