Flyers’ Tyson Foerster to return after 49-game absence
The Philadelphia Flyers are in a fight for their playoff lives, and they are set to get a major boost to their lineup on Thursday night, as Tyson Foerster is set to play for the first time since December 1.
According to PHLY beat writer Charlie O’Connor, Foerster was skating with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett on the Flyers’ top line at the group’s morning skate ahead of their massive showdown with the Detroit Red Wings at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday.
After the morning skate, the Flyers made Foerster’s return to the lineup official.
BREAKING: Tys is back. 👀
Foerster, who had been sidelined for five months while recovering from surgery on his arm, was off to a torrid start in the goalscoring department with 10 goals in 21 games prior to his injury. His three assists meant that he had just 13 points, but he looked poised to break out and break his previous career high of 49 points, which he set a season ago.
The No. 23 overall pick by Philadelphia in the 2020 NHL draft has 58 goals and 38 assists for 96 points in 187 career games played.
He’ll provide a much needed scoring punch for a Flyers group that ranks 11th in goals for out of the 12 teams who could comprise the eight-team playoff field in the Eastern Conference.
The Flyers, who were eight points below the playoff cut line at the Olympic break, have gone 7-2-1 in their past 10 games to claw back to just two points behind the Columbus Blue Jackets with a game in hand for the second and final wild card spot.
With Columbus playing first-place Carolina on Thursday night, the winner of the clash in Philadelphia could easily find itself tied for the last spot. The loser, on the other hand, would squander a valuable chance to gain ground.
Detroit once looked like a lock to make the postseason, but a post-Olympic break collapse has left them in a tenuous situation to say the least.
The two clubs faced off less than a week ago on March 28, with the Flyers earning a 5-3 win to continue their push up the standings