Claude Giroux, Ivan Provorov Enter COVID Protocol
The Philadelphia Flyers announced Tuesday that captain Claude Giroux, defenseman Ivan Provorov, and a staff member were placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Giroux and Provorov make it five Flyers currently in COVID protocol. Forwards Derick Brassard and Jackson Cates as well as defenseman Nick Seeler are on the list at the moment.
Unfortunately for Philadelphia, this now means that the two cornerstones of their offense are both out of the lineup. Sean Couturier is also unavailable as he’s listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Giroux had shifted back to center at times this season with Couturier and Kevin Hayes missing time, but his offensive production is still the best on the team. Through 32 games, the 33-year-old captain has 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points.
Provorov is also an extremely tough loss for the time being. He logs big minutes for this Flyers team, averaging 24:25 per game. He’s got 13 points through 32 games this year.
Flyers Place Jackson Cates, Nick Seeler In COVID Protocol
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.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: Philadelphia Flyers
In the spirit of the holiday season, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season passes the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Philadelphia Flyers.
What are the Flyers thankful for?
Their new coach.
It’s hard to gauge time with all the postponements, but the Flyers have only played eight games since firing Alain Vigneault on December 6. Since then, however, the Flyers have either gotten lucky or turned a corner, going 5-2-2 under interim coach Mike Yeo so far. The two regulation losses were their first two games under Yeo, a 7-5 loss to Colorado on December 6 and a 3-0 loss to New Jersey on December 8. Since then, they’ve yet to lose in regulation and have won by multiple goals in two of their five wins.
The defensive bleeding is starting to improve, albeit slowly. Philadelphia hasn’t allowed more than three goals since that Colorado loss.
Better goaltending this season will help the Flyers in the long run, and under Yeo, it looks like the team is starting to turn a corner in front of Carter Hart and Martin Jones. If Ryan Ellis can stay healthy later in the season, he’ll be a big help as well.
Who are the Flyers thankful for?
Not much was made of the Atkinson-for-Jakub Voracek swap this summer. It was a trade of ageing wingers who’d underperformed in recent years, and it allowed the Flyers to gain some salary cap flexibility for future moves. That trade’s paid dividends for both teams, though, especially the Flyers. Atkinson holds the team lead with 12 goals in 31 games and has the best +/- rating on the team by far (+13).
He’s on a 32-goal pace, which would be the third-highest total of his career. COVID hit right after his career-high 41-goal campaign in 2018-19, but he’s now already hit his 12-goal mark in 2019-20 and is only three goals shy of his 2020-21 mark. The +/- mark is especially impressive for a team that’s had the defensive struggles of Philadelphia. That +13 rating is already tied for the second-best in his career. It may be a stretch to say it’s a career season for Atkinson given the 41-goal mark, but it’s certainly one of his best.
What would the Flyers be even more thankful for?
Health and more production from Sean Couturier.
Philadelphia’s defensive struggles this year were exacerbated by a somewhat unexpected lack of scoring. Couturier’s still been as trustworthy as ever defensively, but after signing an eight-year, $62MM extension this offseason, he’s got just six goals and 17 points through 29 games. It’s not awful by any stretch, but he’s been hovering around a point-per-game for the past few seasons and the dip is somewhat concerning.
It won’t be happening anytime soon, though. Couturier was injured recently and team announced he’s now out week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
What should be on the Flyers’ Holiday Wish list?
A Rasmus Ristolainen deal at the trade deadline.
Philadelphia, barring a miracle, is extremely unlikely to make the playoffs. They are tied for ninth in the conference with the Bruins, but Boston has four games in hand on them. With other teams behind Philadelphia looking to make runs as well, it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to pull away from the pack by the trade deadline.
The Flyers paid a pretty penny to acquire Ristolainen from Buffalo this offseason, but it just hasn’t worked out. He’s still struggled mightily in his own end, and he has just eight points in 29 games this year. The team needs cap space and assets, and shipping out Ristolainen in the last year of his deal would allow them to at least recoup some assets for the ill-advised acquisition.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Sean Couturier Out Week To Week
The Flyers will be without one of their top forwards for a little while as the team announced late Thursday (Twitter link) that Sean Couturier is out with an upper-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve. He is listed as being out week to week.
It has been a tough year for the 29-year-old who has struggled offensively compared to his production from the last few seasons. Through 29 games, Couturier has just six goals and 11 assists, his lowest point per game average since 2016-17. He continues to play a big role defensively as always and is winning nearly 56% of his faceoffs but as someone that was penciled in as their top center, that production is somewhat underwhelming although GM Chuck Fletcher revealed earlier this month that Couturier has been playing through a variety of upper-body and lower-body issues this season.
Even with the slower than anticipated start offensively, Couturier will still be a big loss for the Flyers who are still playing him more than 20 minutes per night. After clearing COVID protocol earlier this week, the hope was that he’d be ready to return to the lineup but now, they’re hoping that he won’t be out more than a few weeks as they look to hang around the mix in the battle for the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia Flyers Add Three To COVID Protocol
The Philadelphia Flyers have added Derick Brassard, Carter Hart, and Scott Laughton to the COVID protocol, making them unavailable for the time being. Max Willman, who had previously been in the protocol, was activated today and rejoined the team at practice. Jackson Cates, Gerald Mayhew, and Felix Sandstrom have been recalled to join the team’s taxi squad.
Losing Brassard and Laughton certainly isn’t ideal, but Hart is the biggest blow for the Flyers today. The young netminder has rebounded this season and carries a .918 save percentage through 19 appearances, carrying the majority of the load for the team. Martin Jones will now become the de facto starter for the time being, though the group in front of him is certainly not at full strength.
The Flyers are now at seven players in the COVID protocol, as Brassard, Hart, and Laughton join Kevin Hayes, Ryan Ellis, Sean Couturier, and Morgan Frost. Those are some pretty important names that could be unavailable when the team is scheduled to return to action Wednesday night.
Philadelphia Flyers Add Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis To COVID Protocol
The Philadelphia Flyers announced Sunday that center Sean Couturier was placed in the NHL’s COVID protocol on December 21, while defenseman Ryan Ellis and two staff members entered protocol today.
There are now five Flyers skaters in COVID protocol, joining forwards Kevin Hayes, Morgan Frost, and Max Willman.
Couturier, after hovering near a point-per-game pace for the last three seasons, has just six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 29 games this year (0.59 points per game). Despite that, he’s still averaging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and is steady as ever defensively.
Ellis was already out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, but was expected to return around the holiday break. Injuries have limited him to just four games this season, his first with the Flyers after arriving via trade from the Nashville Predators.
Couturier will miss the next two of Philadelphia’s games and could be eligible to return on New Years Day against the Los Angeles Kings. Ellis, as he was just added today, will miss more time. If healthy, he could return on January 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing the team’s next four games at the least.
2022 WJC Participants By NHL Team
The 2022 World Junior Championships will get underway from Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta on Sunday. As is the norm and to be expected from the top U-20 competition in the world, the World Junior tournament field is loaded with drafted NHL talent. While most nations don’t have the prospect depth to form a roster completely composed of NHL prospects and those that do have opted to include some younger, future draft picks, there are still a whopping 106 drafted players on WJC rosters. Nine of ten WJC have at least one current NHL prospect and six of those nine have at least ten draft picks. Those players come from 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams, with the Carolina Hurricanes leading the way with ten prospects. While enjoying the WJC action in the coming days, keep track of who may one day be playing at the highest level:
Anaheim Ducks (4):
F Mason McTavish, Canada
D Ian Moore, USA
F Sasha Pastujov, USA
D Olen Zellweger, Canada
Arizona Coyotes (1):
F Dylan Guenther, Canada
Boston Bruins (1):
F Fabian Lysell, Sweden
Buffalo Sabres (4):
F Jakub Konecny, Czechia
D Nikita Novikov, Russia
D Owen Power, Canada
F Isak Rosen, Sweden
Calgary Flames (1):
F Matt Coronato, USA
Carolina Hurricanes (10):
F Nikita Guslistov, Russia
D Aleski Heimosalmi, Finland
D Ville Koivunen, Finland
D Scott Morrow, USA
F Zion Nybeck, Sweden
D Joel Nystrom, Sweden
F Alexander Pashin, Russia
F Vasily Ponomarev, Russia
G Nikita Quapp, Germany
D Ronan Seeley, Canada
Chicago Blackhawks (4):
G Drew Commesso, USA
D Wyatt Kaiser, USA
D Michael Krutil, Czechia
F Landon Slaggert, USA
Colorado Avalanche (1):
F Oskar Olausson, Sweden
Columbus Blue Jackets (4):
F Kent Johnson, Canada
D Samuel Knazko, Slovakia
F Martin Rysavy, Czechia
D Stanislav Svozil, Czechia
Dallas Stars (4):
F Mavrik Bourque, Canada
F Daniel Ljungman, Sweden
F Logan Stankoven, Canada
F Albert Sjoberg, Sweden
Detroit Red Wings (8):
G Jan Bednar, Czechia
G Sebastian Cossa, Canada
D Simon Edvinsson, Sweden
F Carter Mazur, USA
F Theodor Niederbach, Sweden
F Redmond Savage, USA
D Donovan Sebrango, Canada
D Eemil Viro, Finland
Edmonton Oilers (2):
F Xavier Borgault, Canada
D Luca Munzenberger, Germany
Florida Panthers (5):
F Elliot Ekmark, Sweden
D Kasper Puutio, Finland
F Mackie Samoskevich, USA
F Ty Smilanic, USA
F Justin Sourdif, Canada
Los Angeles Kings (6):
F Martin Chromiak, Slovakia
D Brock Faber, USA
D Helge Grans, Sweden
F Samuel Helenius, Finland
D Kirill Kirsanov, Russia
F Kasper Simontaival, Finland
Minnesota Wild (6):
F Marat Khusnutdinov, Russia
D Carson Lambos, Canada
F Pavel Novak, Czechia
D Ryan O’Rourke, Canada
D Jack Peart, USA
G Jesper Wallstedt, Sweden
Montreal Canadiens (3):
D Kaiden Guhle, Canada
F Oliver Kapanen, Finland
F Jan Mysak, Czechia
Nashville Predators (4):
G Yaroslav Askarov, Russia
F Simon Knak, Switzerland*
D Anton Olsson, Sweden
F Fedor Svechkov, Russia
New Jersey Devils (4):
F Alexander Holtz, Sweden
D Luke Hughes, USA
G Jakub Malek, Czechia
D Shakir Mukhamadullin, Russia
New York Islanders (0)
New York Rangers (4):
F Brett Berard, USA
F William Cuylle, Canada
G Dylan Garand, Canada
F Kalle Vaisanen, Finland
Ottawa Senators (5):
F Ridly Greig, Canada
F Roby Jarventie, Finland
D Tyler Kleven, USA
G Leevi Merilainen, Finland
D Jake Sanderson, USA
Philadelphia Flyers (3):
D Emil Andrae, Sweden
F Elliot Desnoyers, Canada
D Brian Zanetti, Switzerland*
Pittsburgh Penguins (3):
G Joel Blomqvist, Finland
G Calle Clang, Sweden
F Kirill Tankov, Russia
St. Louis Blues (3):
F Tanner Dickinson, USA
D Leo Loof, Sweden
F Jake Neighbors, Canada
San Jose Sharks (1):
F William Eklund, Sweden
Seattle Kraken (2):
F Matthew Beniers, USA
D Ville Ottavainen, Finland
Tampa Bay Lightning (0)
Toronto Maple Leafs (3):
F Roni Hirvonen, Finland
F Matthew Knies, USA
D Topi Niemala, Finland
Vancouver Canucks (1):
F Dmitry Zlodeyev, Russia
Vegas Golden Knights (4):
F Jakub Brabenec, Czechia
D Lukas Cormier, Canada
F Jakub Demek, Slovakia
G Jesper Vikman, Sweden
Washington Capitals (1):
F Oskar Magnusson, Sweden
Winnipeg Jets (4):
F Nikita Chibrikov, Russia
F Chaz Lucius, USA
F Cole Perfetti, Canada
F Daniel Torgersson, Sweden
*Switzerland roster pending finalization on Sunday; team has been in COVID-19 quarantine since Thursday but will be ready to begin tournament and participate as schedule, the Swiss announced.
Capitals-Flyers Game Postponed
One of the two games left this week has been postponed, as the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers will no longer play tonight. The decision was made after more COVID-related issues for the Capitals, who canceled today’s media availability. Daniel Sprong and Justin Schultz were pulled from the group this morning and are undergoing further testing. Tonight’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights is now the last one before the holiday break, though Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff tweets that game also may be in danger of postponement.
The Capitals were already going to play the game without top options like T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, while the Flyers lost Kevin Hayes to the protocol just yesterday. The fact that the game was still scheduled despite the extended holiday break was perhaps the most surprising thing, but both teams will now head into the break a little earlier than expected.
For Washington, the team is now set to resume on December 27 against the Ottawa Senators. Philadelphia meanwhile will be off until December 29, when they’ll travel to Seattle to take on the Kraken. That gives the Flyers even more time to recover from injury and try to reset their season.
The NHL has now postponed 50 games, 45 of those coming since December 13.
Kevin Hayes, Brendan Smith Enter COVID Protocol
A pair of Metropolitan Division players have entered the COVID protocol today, as the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers have announced the absences of Brendan Smith and Kevin Hayes respectively.
The Flyers were set to take on the Washington Capitals tomorrow and Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, but will now have to do it without the services of a top forward. Hayes has had a nightmare season to this point, suiting up for just 11 games so far due to injury. He does have six points in those games, but now faces another period on the sidelines.
Carolina meanwhile wasn’t scheduled to play until after the break, meaning they should at least be getting a handful of players back from the COVID protocol in time to face the Florida Panthers on Dec 27. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis have already been in the protocol for a week, while others like Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Ian Cole, and Steven Lorentz will have also cleared the ten-day threshold by the time the Hurricanes are set to return to action.
Max Willman Placed In COVID Protocol, Carter Hart Out With An Illness, Joel Farabee Returns
The Flyers announced that they’ve placed Max Willman and a staff member in COVID protocol. The 26-year-old has been a feel-good story for Philadelphia this season as he made his NHL debut this season and has chipped in with two goals and an assist in a dozen games. Willman was originally drafted by Buffalo back in 2014 but didn’t sign. He becomes the second Flyer currently in COVID protocol joining center Morgan Frost.
Meanwhile, goaltender Carter Hart will be unavailable for tonight’s game against Ottawa due to an undetermined illness. The team announced (Twitter link) that Felix Sandstrom has been recalled from AHL Lehigh Valley to serve as Martin Jones’ backup. They will get some help on the injury front, however, as winger Joel Farabee will return to the lineup after missing the last seven games due to a shoulder injury. The 21-year-old has seven goals in 21 games so far this season.