Paul Holmgren announced today that defenseman Sean O`Donnell will be out 10 to 14 days with a knee injury. He suffered the mishap early in the first period of yesterday's 4-2 win over the New York Rangers. 

It's never good when a player goes down, especially when that player has only missed nine regular season games since 2003-04. But considering that SOD is older now and he's looked kind of worn down lately, could this injury and the timing of it be a blessing in disguise?

Much like the injury to Chris Pronger earlier this season forced him to rest for a few weeks, this injury will give O'Donnell some much needed rest as the team prepares for the stretch run. In two weeks, when he prepares to return to the lineup, the Flyers will have just about 15 games remaining on the schedule. It will officially be the stretch run, and an otherwise battered defenseman will be fresh and ready to go. 

Oskars Bartulis will step in to the role of sixth defenseman in SOD's absence.