Joel Farabee, Carter Hart will return Sat. for Flyers; Derick Brassard also could be back

Left winger Joel Farabee took part in practice Thursday for the Philadelphia Flyers, and for the first time since his suffered a shoulder injury last month, he was allowed to be involved in contact.

He will play in Saturday afternoon’s home game against Washington.

The Flyers, who have lost six straight and 19 of their last 21, could use him.

They are 2-7-2 in the 11 games Farabee has missed since Jan. 20.

Farabee, who turns 22 on Friday, has 11 goals, 18 points, and a plus-1 rating in 33 games.

At Thursday’s practice in Voorhees, Farabee was on the top line with Claude Giroux and Cam Atkinson. In recent games, Isaac Ratcliffe and Oskar Lindblom have been the top-line left wingers.

Farabee will be used in all situations Saturday and will help the power play and penalty kill, units that are struggling.

“He’s got the poise, he’s got the vision, he’s got the playmaking ability,” interim coach Mike Yeo said. “When you’re looking at playing against top players, this has always been part of his role. Despite being a young player, he reads the game very well and sees the game very well. He’s a player, as a coach, you can trust.”

Yeo is hopeful Farabee’s presence will help Atkinson, who has scored in just one of the last 15 games.

He’s baaaaack. ⁦@NHLFlyers’⁩ Joel Farabee will play in all situations Sat. vs ⁦@Capitals⁩. pic.twitter.com/LcOLISFs87

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 24, 2022

“After being out so long, you miss the routine and just being around,” Farabee said. “I’m excited to play again, and my legs are feeling really good.”

Farabee said he felt 100%, and that regaining his strength and getting his timing down were his only obstacles.

Brassard update

Derick Brassard, sidelined for the third different time with a hip injury, practiced Thursday and also may be ready to return.  He replaced Morgan Frost and centered James van Riemsdyk and Gerry Mayhew on the third line.

Yeo said he would decide after Friday’s practice if Brassard will play Saturday.

“The goal is to get him back and keep him back here,” Yeo said, “so we’ll see.”

The other lines Thursday:

• Scott Laughton centering Lindblom and Travis Konecny on the second unit.
• Patrick Brown centering Ratcliffe/Max Willman and Zack MacEwen on the fourth unit.

Yeo said he was unsure if Frost would be in Saturday’s lineup.

“We’re going to have some decisions to make, and that’s a good thing,” Yeo said. “We haven’t really had that luxury of competition, of having options, so we’re going to have some here. If you look at a guy like Frosty, one day I did say I’m not so sure we’d put him on the fourth line. I’m not really sure that suits his game. But we’re not ruling anything out. I just want him to keep his head up. He’s doing a lot of good things.”

Carter Hart, who missed the last two games because of an eye infection, was back in the nets and said he is ready to play Saturday.

“I feel a lot better today; seeing the puck better,” Hart said after practice. “It was just a stye, one of those annoying things.”

He has had styes in both eyes this season.

“I’ve never had them before this year; it’s just weird,” Hart said.

Carter Hart says he’s ready to return will Sat. for #Flyers pic.twitter.com/4ggjBcM9JC

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 24, 2022

Breakaways

Center Kevin Hayes could return to the Philadelphia Flyers’ lineup as early as the end of next week, Yeo said. … Yeo said defenseman Ivan Provorov, who has struggled lately, is trying to do too much and “what we need from him is just to go out and be himself.” … Since the All-Star break, the Flyers are 0-4-2 and have allowed four goals or more, including empty-netters, in all six games. … Konecny has points in seven straight games, a personal best.