Philadelphia Flyers announce 34-player return to play roster

The Philadelphia Flyers have officially announced their expanded training camp roster as they resume their quest to capture Lord Stanley’s Cup. The list features a mix of the usual suspects as well as some surprising additions.

Hockey is back, and the NHL is officially entering the third phase of its “Return to Play” scenario. As teams begin to descend on Toronto and Edmonton for training camp, they will be releasing their expanded rosters to the public.

While the same number of players (21) will suit up each night during games, the expanded rosters give teams some flexibility should there be any injuries, illness or even drop-off in play.

Prior to the pause, the Philadelphia Flyers looked to be a team with a legit chance at the Cup. Philly was firing on all cylinders and boasted one of the most balanced offensive attacks. Today, they announced the 34-player group that will be convening in Toronto for the playoffs.

While many of the usual suspects can be found on the list, there are also some surprises and letdowns as well.

Who made the Philadelphia Flyers’ restart roster?

Forwards (18)

(By Roster Number)

#10 Andy Andreoff — LW

#11 Travis Konecny — RW

#12 Michael Raffl — RW

#13 Kevin Hayes — C

#14 Sean Couturier — C

#18 Tyler Pitlick — RW/C

#21 Scott Laughton — C/LW

#25 James van Riemsdyk — LW

#28 Claude Giroux — LW/C

#38 Derek Grant — C

#44 Nate Thompson — C

#48 – Morgan Frost — C

#49 Joel Farabee — RW

#50 – German Rubtsov — C

#62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel — RW

#81 Carsen Twarynski — LW

#82 Connor Bunnaman — RW

#93 Jake Voracek — RW

Defensemen (12)

(By Roster Number)

#3 Andy Welinski

#5 Phil Myers

#6 Travis Sanheim

#8 Robert Hagg

#9 Ivan Provorov

#15 Matt Niskanen

#26 Tyler Wotherspoon

#39 Nate Prosser

#53 Shayne Gostisbehere

#54 Yegor Zamula

#59 Mark Friedman

#61 Justin Braun

Goaltenders (4)

(By Roster Number)

#34 Alex Lyon

#37 Brian Elliot

#67 Kirill Ustimenko

#79 Carter Hart

At first glance, it doesn’t seem there’s a whole lot to be gleaned from the expanded roster. The team will hit the ice largely the same as it did from January to mid-March during the season. The Giroux’s, Couturier’s and Konecny’s of the world still make up the core of Philadelphia’s roster.

However, there are some questions and intriguing roster decisions down the bottom of the lineup that are worth analyzing.

First off, Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom are not listed on the roster. This should be a no-brainer for fans as both players have dealt with their respective health issues. Seeing Lindblom hit the ice following the conclusion of his radiation treatments for Ewing’s Sarcoma was heartwarming, but fans shouldn’t rush for him to get back to playing — especially in the midst of a global pandemic.

Patrick is in a similar boat. Would it have been encouraging to see him on the roster? Yes. Would it make sense to throw a young man into the fray when he’s been battling a migraine disorder and hasn’t played hockey in a year? Probably not.

For both Lindblom and Patrick, hockey takes a distant backseat to their health and well-being.

One camp battle Flyers fans should be paying attention to, however, is what the team decides to do with Derek Grant, Nate Thompson, Joel Farabee and Connor Bunnaman. Before the league went on hiatus, the deadline acquisitions of veterans Grant and Thompson pushed rookies Farabee and Bunnaman out of the starting lineup.

I’d expect Grant to remain in the opening game roster, as the veteran center was quite effective — five points in seven games — during his short debut with the team.

Thompson vs. Farabee is a bit of a tougher call. If the Flyers want a veteran, physical presence on their fourth line, Thompson is the way to go. But Farabee can play in the middle-six of the lineup and gives the team some youth and more of an offensive edge.

Throughout the season, head coach Alain Vigneault has been more than willing to give opportunities to his young players. We’ll see if Farabee gets a shot to reclaim his role on the team.

Finally, this leads to the most intriguing roster addition. Yegor Zamula.

At just 20 years of age, Zamula is one of the Flyers’ best defensive prospects currently in their system. He has size, speed and wicked offensive instincts. However, he was sidetracked for most of the season with a back injury that required season-ending surgery.

Yet Zamula surprised many when he was seen skating with Ivan Provorov a month ago, apparently recovered and ready to go. While it’s unlikely that Zamula would beat defensemen Robert Hagg, Phil Myers or Shayne Gostisbehere for a roster spot, his inclusion certainly leaves the door open. If nothing else, Zamula’s inclusion shows how much the organization still values him and his development, despite his injury scare earlier in the year.

Regardless of what the lineup looks like the first game, fans in Philadelphia are buzzing as the Flyers look to end a 45-year Cup drought.