Oskar Lindblom attends Flyers team photo session; Phil Myers leaves practice early
Lindblom was able to be in the Flyers' team photo before practice, despite his cancer treatments. Myers has an apparent leg injury.
The Flyers had their team photo taken Monday morning at the Wells Fargo Center, and Oskar Lindblom felt strong enough to join the players and coaches.
Lindblom has been receiving treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. He was tied for the team lead with 11 goals when he received the diagnosis in December. The left winger will miss the rest of the season, which the Flyers have dedicated to him.
“It was good to see him, and from what I’ve heard, things are progressing in the right direction and going well,” goalie Carter Hart said after practice Monday. “He’s a huge part of this team. We all love him and it was great to see him here, smiling and joking around with the boys.”
Center Kevin Hayes, whose parents are both cancer survivors, said, “You have to come to realize there are much bigger problems than [trying to win] a hockey game.”
Added Hayes: “You’re always happy when you see Oskar. He’s been going through a lot, and the way he’s been handling it puts it in perspective. He’s an impressive human; he’s handled it much better than I probably would. It’s inspiring, and he puts a smile to your face and makes you realize your problems aren’t as serious as they seem to be."
Myers is questionable
Defenseman Phil Myers left practice early and is questionable for the game Tuesday against visiting Boston. Myers injured his leg while blocking Jack Eichel’s shot in the 3-1 win over Buffalo on Saturday. He returned to the game and had treatments Sunday.
The 6-foot-5 Myers left practice after being on the ice with the team briefly.
Myers has a plus-17 rating, second among NHL rookies.
“He’s been playing well. Has a good stick and shuts plays down,” defenseman Justin Braun said. If he can’t play, “guys just have to step up.”
On Sunday, "it didn’t seem like anything serious, just a bruise, but obviously he didn’t make it through practice,” coach Alain Vigneault said.
Vigneault said the Flyers would know Tuesday if Myers can face the Bruins. If he can’t, Shayne Gostisbehere will go into the lineup for the first time since Feb. 6, and just the second time since Jan. 8.
“He’s been working real hard and waiting for an opportunity to get back in, and it might be [Tuesday],” Vigneault said.
The Flyers have won nine straight.
“You want to get on that train,” Gostisbehere said.
Gostisbehere played in two games during a rehab stint with the AHL’s Phantoms a couple of weeks ago. He said he was itching to get back into a game.
He was asked how long it would take him to get into a game’s flow.
“Hopefully it’s a shift or two, but I’ll see how it goes if I’m in," he said.
The Flyers are 20-16-5 with Gostisbehere in the lineup, including a 3-2 shootout win over the visiting Bruins on Nov. 10. They are 21-4-2 without him.