Flyers activate forward Bobby Brink (hip surgery), assign him to Lehigh Valley

Bobby Brink’s whirlwind of a spring, from winning an NCAA title to making his NHL debut, came to an abrupt end when he suffered a torn labrum in his left hip in July. But his lengthy recovery officially came to an end Tuesday when the Flyers activated him from his injured, non-roster status.

As the Flyers returned from their annual West Coast holiday road stretch, they announced that Brink and Olle Lycksell would be reporting to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The news comes just over five months after the team announced Brink’s injury.

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Brink suffered the injury during offseason training, and he underwent surgery in Minneapolis on July 26. Dr. Christopher Larson of Twin Cities Orthopedics performed the surgery. Brink’s expected recovery was about five months, and the news comes one week after the five-month mark.

The Flyers selected Brink in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft, one round after they picked defenseman Cam York. Both York and Brink went on to play NCAA hockey — York at Michigan and Brink at Denver. While York turned pro during the 2021 season, Brink stayed in college another year.

That year paid off with Brink winning the 2022 NCAA championship with Denver. He was the NCAA’s leader in points (57) and assists (43), and he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, which is given annually to the top men’s college hockey player.

Brink made his NHL debut three days after the NCAA title game and played in the Flyers’ final 10 games alongside Noah Cates and Ronnie Attard, who also made their NHL debuts after the conclusion of their college seasons. Cates is with the Flyers, while Attard is playing for the Phantoms after making it to the final cut of training camp.

Brink, 21, recorded four assists in those 10 games.

Because of his injury, Brink missed all three camps (developmental, rookie, and training camp). He will make his AHL debut for the Phantoms as he reacclimates to hockey and continues to adjust to the professional game.

Lycksell did not play during the six days he was with the Flyers on the West Coast. He returns to the Phantoms, where he leads the team in points per game (18 points in 19 games). ... Goalie Samuel Ersson was not included in the transaction, which means that the Flyers return to Philadelphia with three goalies (Ersson, Carter Hart, and Felix Sandström). ... The Flyers’ first home game of 2023 will be Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes (7 p.m.).