Flyers Cut 2 Forwards, Reduce Roster to 65

The Philadelphia Flyers, slowly but surely, will get their roster down to 22 or 23 players.

They reduced it to 65 Thursday by releasing forwards Antoine Roussel and Theo Rochette.

Roussel, 32, a feisty veteran winger, was trying to earn a spot on a professional tryout contract (PTO). Known as an on-ice agitator, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Roussel was unimpressive in camp.

Rochette, 20, was in camp on an amateur tryout. The center was returned to the Quebec Remparts, for whom he scored 33 goals in 66 QMJHL games last season.

The Philadelphia Flyers now have 37 forwards, 20 defensemen, and eight goalies in camp. They will probably make a significant cut before their next preseason game, Saturday afternoon in Boston.

Of the 37 forwards on the roster, six are injured: Sean Couturier, Artem Anisimov, Cam Atkinson, J.R. Avon, Bobby Brink, and Patrick Brown.

The Flyers have three exhibition games remaining, and they open the season Oct. 13 by hosting the New Jersey Devils.

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