Flyers Recall Top Minor-League Prospect; Making NHL Debut

If you were looking for a reason to watch the floundering Philadelphia Flyers play powerful Carolina on Thursday, they gave you one.

They recalled right winger Tyson Foerster today from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

He will make his much-anticpated NHL debut. The Flyers also recalled center Elliot Desnoyers, who has played two NHL games this year — and didn’t look out of place. Both are 21, and they share the Phantoms’ lead with 38 points apiece.

Both were recalled on an emergency basis, caused by injuries to Wade Allison and recently acquired Brendan Lemieux.

Makes his NHL debut tonight. The 21-year-old RW has one of the hardest shots in the #Flyers’ organization. https://t.co/QtOhlDHP57

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) March 9, 2023

Foerster, drafted in the first round in 2020 (No. 23 overall), will be the fourth Phantoms player to make his NHL debut this season, joining Olle Lycksell, Sam Ersson, and Desnoyers.

The 6-foot-2, 194-pound Foerster, who has a team-high 135 shots with Lehigh Valley this season, has collected 18 goals and 20 assists, and he was a member of the AHL All-Star team. He owns one of the organization’s hardest shots.

Could help PP

Foerster should also help the Philadelphia Flyers’ anemic power play, which is last in the NHL (15.4% success rate). With the Phantoms, he has seven goals and nine assists on the power play.

Based on the morning skate, he will be on a line with left winger Scott Laughton and center Noah Cates. Desnoyers centered veterans James van Riemsdyk and Kevin Hayes.

Flyers coach John Tortorella said he was impressed with Foerster during training camp. Now he gets an up-close look at him against great competition.

Carolina (42-12-8) sits atop the Metropolitan Division and has won eight of its last 10 games, and 15 of its last 18.

The tight-checking Hurricanes have allowed the league’s second-fewest goals per game this season, so Foerster and the Flyers (24-29-11) will have to battle for space.

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