The Flyers may be getting a lift at just the right time.
Ahead of Monday’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning, there is a chance both Rasmus Ristolainen and Denver Barkey are available, according to Jackie Spiegel of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who is in Tampa Bay for the game. Both players traveled with the team despite their injury concerns.
Barkey hasn’t played since Philadelphia’s preseason opener against the Washington Capitals, when he sustained a lower-body injury. He later aggravated it in a practice before the season opener and opened the year on injured reserve.
Rick Tocchet said Barkey has a “good shot” to play Monday, and if he does, he would line up as a winger.
Ristolainen, meanwhile, left Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes with an undisclosed injury. It appeared to be a problem with his left hand after he blocked a shot, tried to keep going, and eventually had to exit.
Spiegel reported that Ristolainen is a game-time decision, so the Flyers will likely see how he responds in warmups before making the call.
If Barkey is ready to go, the Flyers would need to activate him from injured reserve. The simplest move to clear room would likely be placing Nikita Grebenkin on IR. Grebenkin has not appeared in a game yet after skating in a preseason contest, and he has been out since March 21st of last season with an undisclosed injury.
With a demanding stretch coming up, getting Barkey back and keeping Ristolainen in the lineup would be a welcome boost for Philadelphia.
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For a player who cleared waivers after being put on them Sept. 23, and at a time when Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin were dealing with injuries, Grundstroms rise adds another layer to an already tricky roster picture. The Flyers can use the kind of straightforward, hard-to-play-against minutes he brings, but his continued usefulness also makes the coming personnel decisions a little more complicated than they were supposed to be. [Read more 🡒]