In a carousel of moves, the Philadelphia Flyers roster is looking just ever so slightly different.
Announced by the team on Thursday morning, they have placed defenseman Jamie Drysdale on Injured Reserve after sustaining an upper-body injury. In turn, they have recalled fellow young, right-handed defenseman Ronnie Attard up from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
In addition to the one-for-one swap of blueliners, we are also getting some action in the crease. After Cal Petersen put up his abysmal seven-goal display against the Pittsburgh Penguins and quickly got placed on waivers, he has been loaned down to the AHL and in his place as Sam Ersson’s backup, will be Felix Sandstrom.
The latest on Drysdale’s injury is that he is out week-to-week and the team will re-evaluate him in two week’s time, and hopeful that he is going to return to finish out the regular season and potentially appear in the playoffs.
In his place comes prospect (sort of) Ronnie Attard who made his NHL debut for the club two seasons ago, played just two games last year, suited up for Team USA during the World Championships, and now at 24 years old, is leading the AHL blue line. Through 46 games for the Phantoms, Attard has scored 10 goals and 25 points — a fairly decent showing but not something outrageous.
He has shown glimpses of skill with his wicked-hard slapshot from the point, but there is still something left to be desired with his overall play and skating. But, if any coaching staff can bring the most out of a young defenseman, it is certainly John Tortorella and Brad Shaw.
With Sean Walker most likely getting traded before the NHL’s trade deadline on March 8, we are getting an early look at what the Flyers’ blue line could look like for the rest of the season even when fully healthy. Attard would most likely be the Flyers’ first recall after the Walker trade, to make the right side of the blue line potentially a make-up of Drysdale, Attard, and Rasmus Ristolainen — and even if the latter is not healthy in time, Travis Sanheim is well-liked on that right side.
In goal, it is an easy swap after Petersen was embarrassed with a brutal appearance and swift demotion. Felix Sandstrom is the next-best option as Ersson’s backup but he himself has not had a great year either. The 27-year-old netminder has appeared in 20 games for the Phantoms this season and has earned a .882 save percentage and a 3.23 goals against average. He isn’t even capable of holding his own in the minors but will now be relied upon for at least a handful of starts down the stretch of the regular season.
We are on our knees praying for just an adequate backup goaltender.
The Flyers have 22 games remaining and are currently third in the Metropolitan Division with a 31-22-7 record.
