A couple of roster moves by the Philadelphia Flyers frees up some space to add a couple of players.
On Thursday, the team announced that it is placing defenseman Jamie Drysdale on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. As a result, the Flyers have called up blueliner Ronnie Attard from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Also, goaltender Cal Petersen has been loaned to the Phantoms, while Philadelphia has recalled netminder Felix Sandstrom from Lehigh Valley.
Drysdale was injured during the Flyers’ 7-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 25 after receiving a hit from Penguins forward Jansen Harkins. While the former Anaheim Duck would be allowed to return for Philly’s game against the St. Louis Blues next Monday, it was announced earlier this week that Drysdale is considered to be week-to-week.
The concern for Drysdale is that he injured the same shoulder that limited the 21-year-old d-man to eight games with the Ducks during the 2022-23 campaign.
This is Attard’s first call up to the NHL this season. The former Western Michigan Bronco signed a two-year contract with the Flyers this past July, with an AAV of $850,000. In 46 games with the Phantoms this season, Attard has scored 10 goals and 15 assists. In 17 games with the Flyers over the past two seasons, the 24-year-old has two goals and two assists.
On Wednesday, Petersen was placed on waivers after a rough start to his first season in Philadelphia. In five appearances, the former Los Angeles King is 2-2-0 with a .864 save percentage. Petersen has played 15 games in Lehigh Valley this season, posting a 5-8-2 record and a .890 SV%.
Sandstrom has been recalled a few times this season by the Flyers, but has not seen any action. Last season with Philadelphia, the Swedish goaltender was 3-12-3 in 20 appearances with a 3.72 goals-against average and .880 SV%. In 20 games with the Phantoms this year, Sandstrom is 11-6-2 with a 3.23 GAA and .882 SV%.
The Flyers (31-22-7) are set to face the Washington Capitals on Friday night. They are still third in the Metropolitan Division, 14 points behind the first-place New York Rangers, but are only five ahead of the New Jersey Devils for fourth.
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