The Flyers begin a tough three-game stretch Tuesday night at home against the 24-7-2 Carolina Hurricanes. Early Monday afternoon, we got some more injury and COVID protocol news ahead of tomorrow’s night tilt. 

Travis Sanheim

Sanheim found himself on the protocol list January 5th, along with Travis Konecny. Thankfully, the Flyers got some good news as Sanheim took part in practice Monday morning. He did leave early, but it was all a part of the plan according to Mike Yeo.

The 25-year-old defenseman has been okay this season, for the most part. He flashes offensive talent at times, and it’s real easy to get excited when he shows off that skating ability, but it’s never consistent enough to where you can bet on it. Getting him back in the fold now should provide a lift for this depleted Flyers’ defensive unit. 

Justin Braun

Just as they get one defenseman back, the Flyers immediately lose another. The team announced Monday Justin Braun has been placed on the COVID protocol list. Braun has been solid this year, especially considering the kind of hole they’ve been asking him to fill since Ryan Ellis exited the lineup.

Claude Giroux, Ivan Provorov & Travis Konecny

According to Mike Yeo, Giroux, Provorov, and Konecny are all waiting on test results and added it is possible they could return for Tuesday’s game against Carolina.

Giroux is still the team’s leading scorer at 33-years-old with 11G-18A-29P in 32 games. Getting him back, along with Provorov and Konecny, could be a huge boost. If Giroux is back, I personally would love to see Yeo play him with Frost. Those two have chemistry every time they touch the ice together, and then we never see it again after that. 

Give me Frost – Giroux – Atkinson 

Patrick Brown

Patrick Brown wasn’t at practice Monday. Unfortunately, he was forced to sit out due to a lower-body injury. Brown did collide with a Shark knee-to-knee Saturday, but never left to go down the tunnel.

Tough Stretch

These next three games are going to be extremely tough matchups for the Flyers. Even with the possibility of Giroux, Konecny, and Provorov coming back, it’s just hard to gather any kind of positive energy to put into this team.

They don’t show any kind of heart during games anymore. I know they’ve iced an AHL-like lineup, but so has the rest of the league. The Sharks outshot the Flyers 20-to-5 in the third period and they were also missing some key players.

I don’t know about any of you, but this season has been the exact worst-case scenario that I threw in my head one afternoon and laughed it off with a “Damn, could you imagine that shit?”

Well, imagine it now, Chris. This is your living hell. Frost teleported back to the Phantoms and was receiving fourth-line minutes next to Max Willman and Gerry Mayhew. I’m not saying Frost has been lighting him up, but jeez, can we please put Giroux with this kid if he’s really back tomorrow? 

Cam York and Nick Seeler were a pair in practice and I almost had a heart attack when I checked my phone this morning. I quickly forgot how awful that is when I looked down and was reminded of the most talented third pairing this franchise has ever seen, Yandle and Connauton. 

All in all, I’m not looking forward to this week, I’m actually extremely glad they’re not on tonight. Instead, I can enjoy my time watching the CFB Championship and not be reminded my hockey team struggles to break a puck out.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports