The date is Tuesday, March 19th. Justin Bailey has been recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Again.

The #Flyers have recalled forward Justin Bailey from the @LVPhantoms (AHL). pic.twitter.com/9qWoehbuB8

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 19, 2019

But wasn’t he just waived? Why, yes, yes he was.

The #Flyers have loaned F Justin Bailey to the @LVPhantoms (AHL).

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 18, 2019

Wait, wasn’t he just here? Why, yes, yes he was.

The #Flyers have recalled forward Justin Bailey from the @LVPhantoms (AHL).

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 16, 2019

Haven’t we been through this before? Why, yes, yes we have.

The #Flyers have loaned forward Justin Bailey to the @LVPhantoms (AHL).

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 15, 2019

The #Flyers have loaned F Justin Bailey to the @LVPhantoms.

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 8, 2019

The #Flyers have recalled forward Justin Bailey from the @LVPhantoms (AHL). pic.twitter.com/ggw38NvbKB

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 5, 2019

The #Flyers have loaned forward Justin Bailey to the @LVPhantoms (AHL).

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 26, 2019

The #Flyers have recalled forward Justin Bailey from the @LVPhantoms (AHL). https://t.co/4IbTuhtNxU

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 10, 2019

Former Broad Street Hockey writer and current staff writer with The Athletic, Charlie O’Connor, has an explanation.

So what Fletcher has chosen to do is always keep the bare minimum number of forwards on his roster. As a result, whenever a regular is unable to play, it immediately becomes an "emergency" situation and Bailey can be recalled without counting against the 4 limit.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) March 18, 2019

So Bailey has to keep getting sent down after everybody is good to go... and then he comes back up when there's a forward who might not play.

— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) March 18, 2019

After tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, there are nine games left in the season — how many more times do you expect to see this same transaction?

Justin Bailey will be waived and recalled: