Cap-Strapped Flyers Make Roster Moves, But More Are Coming

For better or worse, the Philadelphia Flyers made rosters moves Monday and got down to 20 players.

But more moves are coming before Thursday’s season opener against the visiting New Jersey Devils.

The Flyers did not announce their roster, but CapFriendly.com did. Rosters had to be submitted to the NHL’s office by 5 p.m. Monday.

On Tuesday morning, the Flyers finally released their roster, but it was the same one CapFriendly announced the previous night. Moves are on the horizon.

In a cap-related move Monday, Philly demoted forwards Wade Allison and Tanner Laczynski to the Phantoms — at least on paper — but both are expected to be added to the Flyers’ roster before Thursday’s opener.

Defenseman Ryan Ellis will probably be placed on the long-term-injured reserve list, which would give the Philadelphia Flyers cap relief and enable them to bring back Allison and Laczynski. They are now right up against the $82.5 million cap.

According to a Flyers staffer, the team will gain more cap relief by delaying Ellis’ placement on the LTIR list. By getting as close to the cap ceiling as they did, it allows them to get the maximum LTIR relief at the season’s start.

In addition, goalie Felix Sandstrom went on the season-opening injured reserve list, along with Bobby Brink, according to CapFriendly. Patrick Brown, coming off back surgery, was placed on the long-term injured reserve list.

Samuel Ersson, who was brillant in the preseason, should be goalie Carter Hart’s backup Thursday against the Devils.

For now, Ronnie Attard is one of seven defensemen on the team, while D-man Egor Zamula was sent to Lehigh Valley.

Earlier in the day, the Flyers loaned center Jackson Cates to the Phantoms. He will probably return at some point during the season, coach John Tortorella said.

Nick Seeler won the left-side spot on the third pairing over Zamula. Right winger Hayden Hodgson, was among the “bubble” players who made the team. Hodgson played right wing on the fourth line in practice Monday, but he could be an “extra” if Cam Atkinson is able to play in the opener.

PHN: Noah Cates Ready to Play Center; Jackson Cates Demoted 

The Flyers will enter the season without center Sean Couturier (back injury) and Ellis (pelvic injury), two of the team’s best players. Couturier has resumed skating and is on track to return at some point this season. Ellis, who played in just four games in 2021-22, could miss the entire season.

Under new coach Tortorella, the Philadelphia Flyers will be trying to improve on last season, when they had just 61 points and owned the NHL’s fourth-worst record.

Torts says #Flyers need scoring by committee and an improved PP. pic.twitter.com/fuKYvUeS6L

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 10, 2022

Tortorella said he expects many players to be going back and forth from the Phantoms to the Flyers, and vice-versa, this season.

Opening roster

Below is the opening-night roster, which is expected to add some players prior to the opener. Teams can carry a maximum of 23 players, and the Flyers currently have only 20:

Forwards (11): Cam Atkinson, Noah Cates, Nick Deslauriers, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Kevin Hayes, Hayden Hodgson, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton, Owen Tippett, and James van Riemsdyk.

Defensemen (7): Ronnie Attard, Justin Braun, Tony DeAngelo, Ivan Provorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, Travis Sanheim, and Nick Seeler.

Goalies (2): Carter Hart and Samuel Ersson.

Breakaways

Hart said he is feeling good in practice and is ready for the opener. He missed all six preseason games because of an unspecified injury. … Zack MacEwen and Cooper Marody cleared waivers and were assigned to the Phantoms.

Time to Start Worrying About Cam Atkinson for Flyers’ Opener?