Shorthanded Flyers use defenseman Nick Seeler at left wing as they try to avoid record for longest winless streak
The Flyers, who have lost 11 straight, would equal the franchise's record winless streak with a loss Monday to the Dallas Stars.
Flyers defenseman Nick Seeler has played 131 career NHL games. Monday night against the Dallas Stars, he will play his 132nd. This time though, for the first time in his NHL career, he will be playing as a forward.
With the Flyers missing forwards Sean Couturier, Kevin Hayes, Joel Farabee, Derick Brassard, Patrick Brown, and Wade Allison through injury, coach Mike Yeo announced Monday morning that Seeler will slide in on the fourth line at left wing and play with Zack MacEwen and Jackson Cates. Yeo is excited to see what Seeler can bring to the table in a new role.
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“He had a nice audition at practice there yesterday,” Yeo said Monday. “He’s revved up and should bring some physicality and some energy into the game. Nick has done everything that he can for us this year in terms of willingness to compete, willingness to battle, willingness to show up and play the right way night after night, so he’s deserved this opportunity.”
Seeler, 28, has appeared in 26 games this season, all as a defenseman, but does have previous experience playing up front.
“It’s something he has done in college,” Yeo said. “It gives us some flexibility if we want to play seven D at some point in the game. And again, it brings some energy and should bring some life into our lineup.”
The Flyers did call up forwards Linus Sandin and Connor Bunnaman, as well as goalie Felix Sandström, from the Phantoms and assigned them to the taxi squad. Yeo’s decision to play Seeler over Sandin or Bunnaman was a matter of opting for fresh legs.
“Sandin and Bunnaman both played back-to-back games [with the Phantoms], that would be three-in-three today, and potentially four-in-four tomorrow,” Yeo said, referring to Tuesday’s game at the New York Islanders.
Bunnaman, 23, has played eight games for the Flyers this season while Sandin, 25, has yet to make his NHL debut.
More injury woe for Wade
The Flyers will be without talented winger Wade Allison through the All-Star break (Feb. 4-5) due to an knee sprain.
Making his season debut, the winger suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament in the second period of the Flyers’ 6-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. The injury is just the latest setback for Allison, who has already missed time this year with ankle and elbow ailments.
“Wade, last night, he had a grade — I’m not sure what the grade is, but an MCL sprain. So I would think he’s going to be out until the break. And I would think he’s got a good chance to come back after that. That seems to be the timeframe there,” said Yeo
The Flyers had high hopes for the 24-year-old entering the season, especially after Allison impressed offensively last year in a small sample size (4 goals, 7 points in 14 games). Not much has gone right for the right winger since, beginning in rookie camp when he suffered the aforementioned ankle injury.
Allison, who was selected by the Flyers in the second round of the 2016 draft, battled two ankle injuries last season and previously suffered a torn anterior collateral ligament while playing for Western Michigan.