Turns out, Shayne Gostisbehere will spell Philippe Myers for more than just one game.
Myers is expected to miss approximately four weeks with a fractured patella in his right knee. The 23-year-old defenseman blocked a huge Jack Eichel shot during the third period of the Flyers' 3-1 win last Saturday night over the Sabres at the Wells Fargo Center.
After hobbling off the ice, Myers returned to the game but didn't play over the final 4:58. He tried practicing Monday and took part in Tuesday's optional morning skate but was not going to play against the Bruins at the Wells Fargo Center. Now, the Flyers won't have him for possibly a month as they push for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Including Tuesday night's matchup, the Flyers have 14 games and 26 days left in the regular season, so Myers very well could be out the rest of the way. Myers and Travis Sanheim have shown plenty of promise in making up the Flyers' second defensive pairing. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Myers has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) and a plus-17 rating in 50 games. He was also playing penalty kill minutes.
With a knee injury and some healthy scratches, Gostisbehere had not played in 24 of the Flyers' last 25 games. He has endured a difficult season but will play a sizable role moving forward. We'll have to wait and see if the 26-year-old jumps back onto one of the power play units.
The Flyers currently have only six healthy defensemen. Mark Friedman and Andy Welinski will be call-up options if the team wants to carry a seventh blueliner.
If the Flyers make the playoffs (Hockey-Reference.com had them at a 99.9 percent chance Tuesday), they will have timely reinforcements in Myers and James van Riemsdyk (broken finger).
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