Flyers-Canucks: Zack MacEwen returning to Philly’s Lineup?

(Update: The Flyers instead recalled Olle Lycksell, who will make his NHL debut Saturday. Here’s the story.)

The Philadelphia Flyers are down to 11 healthy forwards, and they are expected to fill their lineup by recalling right winger Zack MacEwen for Saturday’s 4 p.m. game against visiting Vancouver.

If so, MacEwen would be facing his former team.

The Flyers plucked MacEwen off waivers from the Canucks last October, and he turned out to be one of the team’s most popular players because of his aggressive play and the way he defended teammates.

If promoted from the Phantoms, the feisty MacEwen would likely play on the fourth line with center Jackson Cates and left winger Nick Deslauriers.

In Thursday’s opening-night, 5-2 win over New Jersey, the fourth line had Tanner Laczynski centering Deslauriers and Hayden Hodgson.

Hodgson was put on waivers Friday, and Laczynski has moved to right wing on the third line because of an injury to Owen Tippett.

Here are the projected lineups:

Prove them wrong. #FueledByPhilly pic.twitter.com/dSM8eIwk0F

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 14, 2022

Philadelphia Flyers

Line 1: Kevin Hayes centering Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny.

Line 2: Noah Cates centering Joel Farabee and Wade Allison.

Line 3: Morgan Frost centering James van Riemsdyk and Tanner Laczynski.

Line 4: Jackson Cates centering Nick Deslauriers and Zack MacEwen (if recalled from from Phantoms).

Defense 1: Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo.

Defense 2: Travis Sanheim and Justin Braun.

Defense 3: Nick Seeler and Egor Zamula.

Goaltender: Carter Hart (2,00 GAA, .946 save percentage), with Samuel Ersson as the backup.

Vancouver Canucks

Line 1: J.T. Miller centering Tanner Pearson and Brock Boeser.

Line 2: Elias Pettersson centering Andrei Kuzmenko and Nils Hoglander.

Line 3: Bo Horvat centering Vasily Podkolzin and Conor Garland.

Line 4: Nils Aman centering Dakota Joshua and Curtis Lazar.

Defense 1: Quinn Hughes and Luke Schenn.

Defense 2: Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Tucker Poolman.

Defense 3: Riley Stillman and Kyle Burroughs.

Goaltender: Thatcher Demko (4.13, .833), with Spencer Martin as the backup.

Game notes

• The Flyers have a 77-35-15 lifetime record vs. the Canucks.
• Defensive partners Ivan Provorov and Tony DeAngelo combined for four assists, 13 blocked shots, and a plus-7 rating in the opener. Call it instant chemistry.
• In Thursday’s 5-2 victory over New Jersey, Morgan Frost scored the first game-winning goal of his career.
• This will be the first regular-season game in which the Cates brothers are in the lineup together.
• Vancouver opened its season by blowing a three-goal lead Wednesday and falling in Edmonton, 5-3.
• Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau is aiming for his 600th regular-season win.
• Among active Vancouver skaters, J.T. Miller leads the Canucks with 16 career points (9-7) in 26 games against the Philadelphia Flyers.
• Schenn will be playing his 22nd career game against his former team.
• Mike Yeo, the Flyers’ interim coach for most of last season, is now a Canucks assistant.

How to watch

The 4 p.m. game is on NBC Sports Philadelphia. (And, yes, it was a disgrace that the NHL had the Flyers’ opener only on paid TV — ESPN+ and Hulu.)

How to bet

Fan Duel Money Line: Flyers are plus-116; Canucks are minus-140,

Pick: Flyers, 3-2.