Flyers recall three players ahead of opening night

The Flyers will step on the ice for opening night when they take on the Vancouver Canucks on Friday evening. It’ll be a slightly different lineup than almost everyone expected it to be.

Rasmus Ristolainen, who has missed the team’s last four practices, is day to day with a lower body injury. His status for opening night is now in doubt. He has been skating with the rehab group the last two days, but seems unlikely to debut on Friday. Ryan Ellis was back at practice so he is on track to play after having missed the last three practices.

Patrick Brown, who the Flyers claimed off waivers on Monday, was placed on the COVID protocol list. He was expected to be on the ice for his first practice but will no longer be available. Zack MacEwen, who the team claimed on Wednesday, is awaiting approval for his U.S. visa. He has been granted non-roster status until then.

With all three unavailable, the Flyers called up three players from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with two of them expected to be in the lineup. Defensemen Nick Seeler is certain to be in the lineup. He had impressed during training camp and was one of the last cuts the team made before announcing their final roster.

Forwards Jackson Cates and Max Willman were also recalled. Willman appears to have the inside track into making his NHL debut on opening night. By putting Kevin Hayes on LTIR yesterday afternoon, the Flyers were given the cap space to make these moves.

These moves affect the defense more than anything. Justin Braun moved up to the second pairing and Seeler moves into the third pairing role with Keith Yandle. Millman takes over in a spot that would’ve been Brown’s depending on which forward spot the team put him in.

Thompson taking part in practice was a good sign as well as he left the last one early after a collision with Egor Zamula. He should be good to go for opening night.

The Flyers have been hit hard by the injury bug more than a few times before they have even played their first game of the season. They have six players on season-opening IR, Hayes on LTIR and Samuel Morin on IR. Only the latter currently counts against the cap.

Another season is just about underway as the Flyers will be looking to have a bounce back year.