Flyers place Joel Farabee on injured reserve; Wade Allison recalled from Phantoms

As the Flyers look to snap a record-tying 10-game losing skid, they will be without Joel Farabee for an extended period. Friday afternoon, Farabee and Kevin Hayes were placed on injured reserve, forcing the Flyers to call up Wade Allison and Jackson Cates.

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Hayes was already out before the announcement, although he wasn’t on IR. He had fluid drained from his adductor region Tuesday. The Flyers expect him to be out three to four weeks, although interim coach Mike Yeo said Hayes told him he thought he could return sooner. It is the third time Hayes has been sidelined this season.

The news about Farabee was new. Farabee suffered a shoulder injury Dec. 1 and was placed on injured reserve Dec. 9. He returned Dec. 18 and scored a goal before the NHL shut down over the holidays. When he returned, he went on a streak, scoring six points in six games.

On Tuesday, Farabee took a hard hit against the New York Islanders. He played Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where Yeo said he suffered another injury. Yeo wasn’t sure if the new injury is related to the injury he suffered in December, but he doesn’t think the team brought him back too soon.

“I would say that there’s certain times where maybe a particular type of injury would be a concern, whether a player came back too early,” Yeo said. “I know that with this specific injury, I think that everyone felt pretty comfortable that Joel was ready to return. And obviously played quite a bit of hockey and played some really good hockey for us while he was in there for us.”

Farabee played 11 games and scored four goals and eight points between IR stints and has 11 goals and 18 points overall.

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Heading into the 2021-2022 season, there were expectations that Wade Allison would make the Flyers. Those hopes were dashed when he suffered an ankle injury in rookie camp.

Allison spent months rehabbing, but when he returned on Dec. 1, he was assigned to the AHL to play for the Phantoms and get his conditioning back. He suffered an elbow injury in December and missed more time. In seven AHL games this season, Allison has three goals and four points.

While the scoring is a good sign, Yeo said it was even more important that Allison get back into the swing of the game from both a physical and mental standpoint. Allison had the chance to get some of his conditioning and timing back as well as learn the Flyers’ system since Ian Laperrière is running the same one with the Phantoms.

Yeo hopes the fresh faces might help give the team a spark.

“Obviously haven’t been scoring a lot of goals lately,” Yeo said. “He [Allison] has the ability to put a puck in the net and he also, he brings a little life. Brings some enthusiasm. He’s going to be excited to play and obviously at a time when you’re fighting some negative feelings, bringing some positivity in is a good thing.”

Both Allison and Cates are expected to play Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. Connor Bunnaman was subsequently optioned back to Lehigh Valley.

The Flyers play the Sabres on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Buffalo. ... With Farabee out, Yeo is still deciding whom he will move to the top line, but he thinks it will be Oskar Lindblom or James van Riemsdyk. ... Yeo needs to see how Carter Hart is feeling before deciding who will start in goal. ... Derick Brassard (hip) and Tyson Foerster (shoulder) were two of the five players at optional practice. Yeo said it was really good to see Foerster out there. “Obviously a big part of our future here, you know, as far as his potential and what he can be,” Yeo said. “But I also really like his attitude.”