‘Every shift matters’: Ronnie Attard looking to make the most of Flyers call-up

John Tortorella left the decision to the coaching staff in Lehigh Valley and to Flyers president Keith Jones and general manager Danny Brière.

The coach wanted a defenseman called up, with Rasmus Ristolainen and Jamie Drysdale both out week-to-week with upper-body injuries and on injured reserve and with the first game of a back-to-back on the road Friday. So he tasked them with sending who they felt was the best choice.

Enter Ronnie Attard.

“Obviously hate to see guys get injured, but you only get so many chances,” Attard said. “Just got to make the best of every chance I get and set my best foot forward.”

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The 24-year-old blueliner found out after Phantoms practice Wednesday that he had been tapped for a promotion. He made his way down for Flyers practice Thursday and was skating on a rotation with the six other defensemen. There are no guarantees that he gets ice time, but the Flyers do often like to suit up seven defensemen.

“We’re always cognizant of trying to put players into a spot to succeed,” Tortorella said. “I think when you succeed, you’re going to go through the process of failing too. ... Does he play? How much does he play if he does play? I don’t know where that goes. That’s a call we’ll make.”

Attard is no stranger to Tortorella or associate coach Brad Shaw. He spent a good chunk of the preseason with the Flyers, before being sent down on Oct. 4. The Michigan native played two games last season, averaging 16 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time. He played 15 games in 2021-22, notching two goals and two assists after his season at Western Michigan University ended.

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“I played a little bit with him in training camp and got to know him,” Marc Staal said. “He’s a good defenseman. He’s smart, very poised with the puck.”

Self-described as a guy who likes “to shoot the puck a lot, likes to defend hard, and just tries to keep it simple,” Attard has 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 46 games with Lehigh Valley this season. Last season, he posted 32 points in 68 games and was named to the AHL All-Star Game.

“He’s a really big guy that skates well and has really good instincts all over the ice,” Cam York said. “He has a really high IQ, and we’re kind of banged up right now so it’s a great opportunity for him to be up here and show us what he has.

“He’s a really good player. Great guy off the ice and a right-shot D-man, can do a lot of things for us,” York said.

York didn’t find out until he got to the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees that his former Phantoms teammate was called up. He thinks the 6-foot-3, 208-pound defender should fit in seamlessly as a right-shot with Drysdale out. And Attard, who is now sporting No. 23, is ready to showcase his game.

“For me, it’s just a defending hard,” Attard said when asked about how he has elevated his game since December. “I gotta be miserable to play against, kill plays, move the pucks fast.

“If I’m not killing plays, I get myself into trouble. So just got to continue to focus on that, not getting beat, and if there’s an opportunity to jump up and jump in the rush and try to make something happen.”

A third-round pick in 2019 as an over-ager after getting passed over twice for the NHL draft, Attard knows this is a key time for him. He said on Thursday that he’s been working hard on building and growing his game. Back in October, his goal was to “just continue to put my head down and work and see where it takes me.”

Now it’s gotten him back to the NHL. And while the Phantoms are themselves in a tight playoff race, Attard has been keeping an eye on the Flyers and is excited about the opportunity to participate in the NHL playoff push.

“It’s awesome. It’s meaningful hockey and almost March now, so every game matters, every point matters, every shift matters,” he said. “So just gotta be ready to go.”

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Goalie Cal Petersen cleared waivers and has been loaned to the Phantoms. “I just didn’t feel Cal was good enough the last game,” Tortorella said. Felix Sandström was recalled from Lehigh Valley and will back up Sam Ersson. There’s a good chance Sandström will start one of the two games the Flyers have over the next two days, Friday at the Washington Capitals (7 p.m., NBCSP) and Saturday against the Ottawa Senators at home (7 p.m., NBCSP). ... Cam Atkinson participated in practice but did not take line rushes, hinting that he could be a healthy scratch for a second straight game. “He’s going to wait his turn. And then, if I think it’s time for him to come back in, I hope he sticks,” Tortorella said.