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Preseason Gameday @ NYR, Remaining Roster Battles, Prospect Updates

September 25, 2017, 10:12 AM ET [485 Comments]
Bill Meltzer
Philadelphia Flyers Blogger •NHL.com • RSSArchiveCONTACT
PRESEASON GAMEDAY: FLYERS @ NEW YORK RANGERS

Starting a busy week of games that will conclude the preseason schedule, the Flyers embark on a home-and-home set with the New York Rangers on Monday at Madison Square Garden and Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center. Monday's game at MSG starts at 7 p.m. EDT. It will be televised in the New York area on MSG Network and available via radio broadcast in the Delaware Valley on 97.5 FM The Fanatic.

For three storylines to follow over the next two nights, including the experiment of placing Claude Giroux on left wing, click here.

Projected Flyers lines for Monday's game:

28 Claude Giroux – 14 Sean Couturier – 93 Jakub Voracek
40 Jordan Weal – 64 Nolan Patrick – 17 Wayne Simmonds
11 Travis Konecny – 51 Valtteri Filppula – 15 Jori Lehterä
12 Michael Raffl – 21 Scott Laughton – 24 Matt Read

9 Ivan Provorov – 48 Robert Hägg
23 Brandon Manning – 53 Shayne Gostisbehere
57 Travis Sanheim – 3 Radko Gudas

30 Michal Neuvirth
[37 Brian Elliott]

Scratches: Oskar Lindblom, Mike Vecchione, Taylor Leier, Dale Weise, Sam Morin, Andrew MacDonald.


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REMAINING ROSTER BATTLES

Depending on whether the Flyers intend to enter the season with 13 or 14 forwards -- general manager Ron Hextall has already said that he prefers not to have eight defensemen -- there may only be two more roster cuts to make among the forwards and one more to make on defense.

The most likely cuts up front will come from among Mike Vecchione (waiver exempt), Taylor Leier (waivers apply) and possibly veteran Matt Read. On defense, assuming Brandon Manning (offseason back surgery) is physically ready to be on the opening night roster, second-year pro Travis Sanheim (waivers exempt) remains the most likely final cut from the roster.

Just by virtue of the way the remaining numbers game look with 16 healthy forwards still in camp, it looks like both Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom will make the NHL roster for opening night. Ditto Scott Laughton, who was protected in the expansion draft.

However, all of the remaining players in camp are ones the Flyers would be comfortable having on the roster to open the season. An injury this week or an especially good or bad week by one of the bubble players could still change the shape of the opening roster.

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PROSPECT UPDATES: SEPT. 25, 2017

1) OHL: Flyers 2017 first-round pick had a three-point opening weekend in two games for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. On Sunday, he scored a nifty penalty shot goal after being fouled on a shorthanded counterattack. The Hounds went on to defeat the visiting London Knights, 5-1.




2) OHL: Isaac Ratcliffe came up empty on a half-dozen shots on goal and his Guelph Storm team was blanked, 4-0, by the host Windsor Spitfires on Sunday. Ratcliffe was minus-three at even strength in the game.

3) WHL: Carter Hart (flu) was not available to make his first regular season start of the season for his Everett Silvertips team on Sunday. Dorrin Luding substituted in net, and stopped 42 of 43 shots in a 4-1 home win over the Tri-City Americans.
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