Skidding Flyers Starting to Add Youth to Injury-Ravaged Lineup

With the Philadelphia Flyers in a 10-game tailspin, coach John Tortorella says it’s time to start looking to the future and injecting some young players into the injury-riddled lineup.

Enter defenseman Egor Zamula.

Zamula, 22, recalled from the AHL’s Phantoms on Monday, will be in the lineup Tuesday against the visiting New York Islanders.

Based on what Tortorella said Monday, the player they call “Z” will stay there for a while. Tortorella said he recently had a conversation with GM Chuck Fletcher, and that “I think we need to bring another kid in to start developing.”

Zamula played in nine games with the Flyers — he had two assists and was plus-1 — but then sat out for 2 1/2 weeks. He was briefly sent down to the Phantoms until joining the Flyers at Monday’s practice.

“I played big minutes over there — PK, power play, everywhere,” the 6-foot-3, 192-pound Zamula said of his two-game stint with Lehigh Valley. “I feel I’m in good shape. I’m ready to play (Tuesday).”

Zamula said he was told he will play the right side on the third pairing, with Nick Seeler to his left. It will be his first game for the Philadelphia Flyers since Nov. 5.

Justin Braun may come out of the lineup, but it depends on Tony DeAngelo’s availability. DeAngelo is “banged up,” according to Tortorella.

Tortorella likes Zamula’s promise and said he’s “very interesting to us.” The veteran coach said the defenseman sees the ice well, but needs to reduce his turnovers.

Zamula has received advice from fellow Russian Ivan Provorov, the Flyers’ No. 1 defenseman.

“If you have a bad game, he tells me ‘You go home, go to sleep, don’t worry about this game. Wake up tomorrow in a good mood. Forget about the last game.’ ” Zamula said.

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