Flyers, searching for production from fourth-line, call up prospect Isaac Ratcliffe

The Flyers’ fourth line was already the team’s biggest line, but it grew significantly when the Flyers called up Isaac Ratcliffe, setting him up to make his NHL debut.

The Phantoms forward was called up Wednesday and joined the team for practice Thursday. He is set to debut as the Flyers’ fourth-line right winger in their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

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At 6-foot-6, Ratcliffe is the tallest player on the roster, beating defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen by two inches. He joins Zack MacEwen (6-foot-3 ) and Connor Bunnaman (6-foot-1) on the fourth line.

“That’s a big line,” said first-line winger Cam Atkinson, who is the shortest player on the team at 5-foot-8. “They’ve got to play with energy and take it to the body, especially with those big boys. And hopefully contribute on the scoresheet as well.”

Interim coach Mike Yeo said they called up Ratcliffe in an effort to “sort out” the fourth line. Players on the first three lines have contributed goals, but a fourth-line forward has not scored a goal since Jackson Cates scored at Montreal on Dec. 16.

Cates was an option, as was Maksim Sushko, but Yeo said Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière said Ratcliffe deserved the opportunity.

“He’s been putting the work in,” Yeo said. “Had a real good weekend last weekend. So excited to see what he can do.”

The fourth line has been a work in progress through most of the season given the Flyers have had so many injured forwards. Since the start of the team’s current 13-game losing streak, the fourth line has only featured the same three players on back-to-back games on two occasions. Ratcliffe is the 10th player to skate on the fourth line in that time.

At this point, Yeo said part of the constant rotation of players between the Phantoms and the Flyers is just about giving players a shot at the NHL level.Linus Sandin, who debuted in the Flyers’ last game, showed Yeo some good things, but he thinks he needs more time in the AHL to get his feet under him after his injury.

Last game, the New York Islanders experienced and physical fourth line, made it a very tough matchup for players freshly called up from the AHL. Ratcliffe will have two practices to prepare for the Kings’ fourth line, which Atkinson said should help him work his nerves out.

“So it’s a tough matchup, but this is an unbelievable opportunity,” Yeo said. “It’s not too many times where young players get an opportunity to come into the lineup like this, a chance to play and for a guy like Ratcliffe, [he] should be thrilled about this opportunity.”

The three-day break in between games, which included an off day and two practices, serves as a good chance for the Flyers to reset in the midst of their losing streak.

”I think anytime you have a chance in practice to work on systems or whatever it is that we’re struggling at overall, I think it’s important that we get back to the fundamentals and get on the ice and watch video and get better at those things,” Atkinson said. “It’s very crucial and beneficial for us.”

The team has been in the process of an even bigger reset, dating back to Dec. 6 when coach Alain Vigneault was fired. With each string of practice days they have, the Flyers have returned to the most basic elements of the game. They’ve been re-learning “how to work.”

The team started straying from what Yeo refers to as “good habits” last season, when it went through “difficult times.”

“Things didn’t go well for us the latter part of last season and I think that we’ve brought a lot of those things into this season with us,” Yeo said. “And so that’s one of the things that we’re really trying to do right now is re-establish what it takes to win hockey games.”

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In recent games, Yeo said he’s seen progress. The team is showing more tenacity and isn’t folding after it falls behind. Even down a goal in the third period against the Islanders on Tuesday, they kept competing, Yeo said.

However, as one of the veterans in the room, Atkinson still feels there’s a ways to go, but every person in the room has bought in. They all understand the hard work it’s going to take to turn this around, and there’s no one who’s trying to cheat. But they all need to “dig a little deeper.”

“We still have a little bit of [a] ways to go — I think everyone can bring a little bit more tenacity ... to our game,” Atkinson said. “So I think from top down, I think we need to bring a little bit more jam.”

The Flyers practice in Voorhees, N.J., on Friday before hosting the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday at 1 p.m. ... Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, Derick Brassard and Tyson Foerster were skating before the Flyers practice. ... The day after Comcast Spectacor CEO Dave Scott and Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher addressed the state of the organization, Yeo said he, personally, is focusing on the day-to-day. He said it’s been a grind, but he’s been enjoying it. ... Yeo said he will announce his new assistant coach John Torchetti’s responsibilities after Torchetti is out of COVID-19 protocols.