Flyers and longtime equipment manager Derek Settlemyre part ways; Alex Lyon ready to face Avs

PITTSBURGH — Head equipment manager Derek Settlemyre, who has worked for the Flyers in some capacity for a quarter-century, and the team have parted ways.

General manager Chuck Fletcher made the announcement after the Flyers’ morning skate at PPG Paints Arena on Friday, saying the decision was “mutually agreed upon.”

Fletcher would not elaborate. Settlemyre did not return a phone message.

Settlemyre, nicknamed “Nasty,” was in his 14th season with the Flyers as their head equipment manager and in his 25th year in the organization. Earlier this season, he was saluted with a scoreboard tribute for working in his 2,000th professional game.

“He loved it, and he loved the boys,” said former Flyers trainer Dave “Sudsy” Settlemyre, Derek’s dad, in a phone conversation from his home in North Carolina. “He absolutely loved that job as much as I did."

“He can’t talk to you, and that’s just the way the world works,” he added about his son and the organization parting ways. He said he could not elaborate.

The younger Settlemyre, a Voorhees resident, came to the Flyers after 10 years as head equipment manager for the Phantoms, the organization’s AHL affiliate. Setttlemyre had been with the Flyers for two years as an assistant equipment manager and one year in that role with Florida (when Fletcher was there) before joining the Phantoms when they were founded in 1996.

A North Carolina native, Settlemyre also has worked for Team USA in the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, and the World Championships.

Besides being the Flyers’ trainer, his dad was their backup goalie for a game on March 24, 1990 after Ken Wregget pulled his hamstring during pregame warmups. Pete Peeters played the entire game against New Jersey, so Dave Settlemyre wasn’t needed. He later became the Florida Panthers’ trainer.

With goaltender Carter Hart still sidelined by a lower abdominal injury, Alex Lyon will make his second start of the season Saturday when the Flyers host Colorado.

Lyon played well as the Flyers dropped a 4-1 decision to Montreal on Jan. 16.

“I liked his game. He gave us a chance,” coach Alain Vigneault said before goalie Brian Elliott and the Flyers faced the Penguins on Friday. “We’re playing back-to-back and in a sequence where we play three games in four nights. I need two goaltenders.”

Lyon is grateful for another start.

“The coaches here do a great job of instilling confidence in all the players,” he said. “Everybody in here can feel it.”

Lyon said he felt comfortable against the Canadiens.

“There are certainly things I can clean up and do better, but in terms relative to how I’ve felt in the past. ... I think I’m getting to the point where I understand what I need to do to make my game go well," he said. "I’m trying to enjoy the process more and it’s really helped my game.”

Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, coming off arthroscopic knee surgery, took part in the morning skate but did not play Friday. Asked if he could play Saturday against Colorado, Gostisbehere sounded cautious: “If they need me, I could definitely play, but I think we’re in a good spot right now and it’s not necessary to push it, I guess. I think everyone just wants me to come back good and healthy." ... The Penguins recalled 6-foot-5, 210-pound center Anthony Angello, a fifth-round draft choice in 2014, from the AHL, and he made his NHL debut Friday. He had 16 goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. ... On Friday, the Flyers started a stretch in which they play nine games in 16 days, including six road contests.