The Philadelphia Flyers will be without a pair of depth players for a short while as rookie forward Jackson Cates and veteran defenseman Nick Seeler have landed on the COVID Protocol list. The team announced that the duo and one staff member have entered the protocol.
The Flyers are currently on a west coast road trip, making the situation all the more complicated. The team still has to face the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night before returning to Philadelphia for a rivalry match-up with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday. It is unlikely that Cates or Seeler will suit up tomorrow and depending on the impact that their predicament will have on travel, not to mention the possibility of a positive test and thus an extended absence, the Penguins game and beyond may also be in doubt.
Seeler has been a frequent recall of the Flyers this season, playing in 23 games. Although his role and his impact on the scoreboard have been minimal, Seeler has still been a reliable option to plug into the lineup – until now. Cates is in his first full pro season out of the University of Minnesota Duluth and has one point in four games so far in Philly. Cates too has played a minimal role, but the rookie has been automatic at the face-off dot and could be in line for more opportunity once he returns to action.
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