Philadelphia Flyers Nate Thompson Out Two Weeks With Knee Sprain

The Flyers depth takes another hit as Thompson will be out a minimum of two weeks.

The injury bug has hit the Flyers yet again. Forward Nate Thompson will be sidelined at least two weeks with a knee sprain.

If Thompson is out just two weeks, that would put him at March 25th. There would be six games remaining in the season. The team could choose to be cautious, however. There isn’t necessarily a rush to bring him.

The injury occurred when Thompson went awkwardly into the boards with Ondrej Kase on Tuesday. He appeared to tweak his left knee during the play. Thompson played just over 12 minutes in the contest.

Since coming over from the Montreal Canadiens, Thompson has appeared in seven games with the Flyers. He grabbed his first point with the team against the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s third on the team in faceoffs at 55.01%. Thompson played over 12 minutes in each game.

The injury has once again tested the Flyers depth. In his place, the team has called up Connor Bunnaman from the Phantoms. This will be his third stint with the team this season. In 21 games, he has one goal and one assist. It’ll be his first game back with the team since February 22nd. Bunnaman scored his first NHL game during his last stint.

With the Phantoms, Bunnaman has appeared in 29 games this season. He has six goals and three assists. He’s posted four points in the five games since he was previously sent down on February 24th.

Bunnaman will slot into Thompson’s spot on the fourth line. The only uncertainty is who will take over on the penalty kill. The team could move Claude Giroux back, but acquiring Thompson was key to moving him off the PK. It’s possible Derek Grant could see an increased role there as well.