There are a handful of teams around the NHL who are carrying three netminders on their active roster, making it hard for that third-stringer to see much action. The Flyers are one of those and have made a move to get that extra goalie some playing time, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve assigned Felix Sandstrom to AHL Lehigh Valley on a conditioning loan.
The 26-year-old was the backup in Philadelphia for the majority of last season, getting into 20 games. However, Sandstrom struggled in those appearances, posting a 3.72 GAA with a .880 SV%. When Samuel Ersson came up and made a push for playing time, the Flyers actually sent Sandstrom down on a conditioning loan last season, allowing him to get into seven games with the Phantoms.
This season, Ersson – who is still waiver-exempt – has taken over as the full-time backup behind Carter Hart, leaving Sandstrom as the odd one out. As a result, he has yet to see the ice during the regular season and only played two periods in the preseason. That’s hardly ideal for any goalie.
A conditioning loan can last for a maximum of 14 days and there are no restrictions on how many games he can play in that stretch (unlike a post-LTIR conditioning loan). While he’s with Lehigh Valley, Sandstrom will count in full against Philadelphia’s salary cap and will technically remain a part of the Flyers’ active roster, meaning they won’t be able to call up a skater to temporarily take Sandstrom’s place.