Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier are game-time decisions against Colorado
Foerster and Couturier might be out for Monday’s game, while Rasmus Ristolainen is considered day-to-day: “We’re in that stretch right now where we’re getting injuries.”
Injuries just keep piling up for the Flyers.
They’re already down Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York, and Travis Konecny. Owen Tippett missed Saturday’s win over Ottawa with an upper-body injury. Now, two more key forwards might be out for Monday’s game against Colorado.
Rick Tocchet said Tyson Foerster and Sean Couturier were “banged up” and will be game-time decisions for Monday’s game vs. Colorado. Foerster blocked a shot in the first period off his shooting hand during Saturday’s game, but remained in the game. Neither practiced on Sunday.
“He couldn’t have gone on the ice today. We’ll see how he is tomorrow, another game-time guy,” Tocchet said of Foerster. “We’re in that stretch right now where we’re getting injuries, and it’s hard to — I don’t know if they’re playing tomorrow, so it’s one of those things where we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”
» READ MORE: The Flyers finally break through for their first win of the season. Here’s how they did it.
Ristolainen and York skated before practice, but were not on the ice with the main group. York was placed on injured reserve due to an upper-body injury, backdated to the last game he played, which was against Ottawa on Oct. 8, a team source confirmed to The Inquirer. Ristolainen is considered day-to-day.
Oliver Bonk already earned the direct call-up for York, and has played with Travis Sanheim for the Flyers’ last four games. The Flyers also announced defenseman Hunter McDonald, who played in one NHL game for the Flyers last year, is being promoted to the NHL roster. Helge Grans and Jack Studnicka will return to Lehigh Valley.
Their defensive group has been pretty set in York and Ristolainen’s absence, with Bonk, Sanheim, Nick Seeler, Jamie Drysdale, David Jiříček, and Simon Benoit appearing in the last four games. McDonald could be a replacement seventh defenseman for Grans, or could replace one of those six in the regular lineup, most likely the fellow lefty Benoit. But, that leaves two more open roster spots if the Flyers want to carry a full 23-man roster. With potentially three game-time decisions in the forward group out of 12 total on the acting roster, another corresponding move could be to call up a a forward or two to fill those roles.
In Boston on Oct. 10, Danny Brière said that the Flyers sent Alex Bump down to ensure he gets regular, top-line ice time in the American Hockey League. In his five games in Lehigh Valley, Bump has shown exactly what the Flyers want to see, scoring seven goals and eight points. With more spots opening up the lineup with the stacking injuries, it could be the right opportunity for Bump to get another shot in the NHL.
It could also open a spot for Cole Knuble or Jett Luchanko, both of whom showed well in camp but were also sent down in order to get more ice time in the AHL. Knuble has four points in six games, and Luchanko six points in six games with Lehigh Valley.
Colorado is one of the league’s fastest teams, so bringing in more speed and youth could help the Flyers build on Saturday’s first win of the season.
Breakaways
After their first win, the Flyers finally got to show off this year’s player of the game item, a pair of boxing gloves. Last year, the team used an old-style goalie mask to honor Flyers legend Bernie Parent. Seeler said they were a surprise to the team on Saturday. Couturier selected them to honor the 50th anniversary of the movie Rocky.
