Quick Hits: February 29. 2024
1) The Flyers placed veteran goaltender Cal Petersen on waivers on Wednesday afternoon. His is expected to clear waivers and we assigned to the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Felix Sandström will be recalled.
Sandström, who served as the Flyers' primary backup goaltender last year (20 GP, 3-12-3 record, 3.72 GAA, .880 save percentage), started the 2023-24 season on the NHL roster with the Flyers carrying three goaltenders (Carter Hart, Samuel Ersson and Sandström). Sandström suffered an injury while on a rehab assignment with the Phantoms. After he felt better, Sandström was placed on waivers and then assigned to Lehigh Valley.
Neither Petersen (5-8-2, 3.26 GAA, .890 SV%) nor Sandström (11-6-2, 3.23 GAA, .882 SV%) have delivered the hoped-for level of consistency or organizational depth in net to the Phantoms/Flyers this season. Both goalies have been be prone to the "one bad goal allowed per game" syndrome that put Petersen out of favor in the LA Kings organization and affected Sandström in the NHL last season, too. This season, the Phantoms have generally given Sandström good goal support (more so than in front of Petersen), which is part of why his win-loss record is so much better than Petersen's despite their similarly so-so statistics.
The left-catching Sandström (Petersen catches right) has always had the tools to be a viable NHL goaltender -- perhaps even at least a split-time "1B" type -- but the consistency level has just never emerged as hoped. This season, from game to game and even from period to period, it was hard to predict which version of Sandström would emerge: the one who is capable of getting his team unscathed (or at least minimize the damage) through a rough patch of game or the one who'd let an off-angle goal or plan-sighted shot leak past him into the net.
In terms of pure talent level, Sandström is superior to Petersen. In fan, in the Brynà¤s IF Gà¤vle system, Sandström was more highly touted and ahead of Ersson on the depth chart. However, Ersson (two years younger than Sandström) kept on developing year by year, and Sandström kind of plateaued both in Swedish hockey and in North America.
Sandström turned 27 on January 12 of this year. He's been in the Flyers' organization since 2015 (third-round pick, 70th overall). He's an unrestricted free agent come July 1, 2024. This may be his last chance to prove he belongs in the mix for an NHL job, either here or elsewhere. It's never been a matter of tools, athleticism or competitive mindset. For whatever reason, though, Sandström hasn't been able to clear that final hurdle of turning promise into consistent performance.
Unless a proven veteran NHL backup comes across the waiver wire, the Flyers don't really have any other option than Sandström -- in lieu of Petersen -- for the rest of the season. From all indications, the Flyers are very reluctant to expend an asset to trade for an established backup. The next time the Flyers may need their backup to start a game: There is a stretch of three games in four nights to start the month of March. The backup could get Saturday's home game against the Ottawa Senators after Ersson starts in Washington on Friday. Monday will be an off-day. On Tuesday, the St. Louis Blues come to town.
2) With only six healthy defensemen on the Flyers' roster, the team is expected to announce the recall of right-shooting defenseman Ronnie Attard on Thursday. An AHL All-Star Game participant last season, the 24-year-old got off to a slower-than-hoped start this season for Lehigh Valley. That was part of why, after rookie Emil Andrae was sent to Phantoms early this season, veteran Louie Belpedio got the next recall after Marc Staal went down with an injury.
Over the last few months, however, Attard has steadily ramped up his game. He's always had offensive ability -- very heavy shot and a willingness to pinch down to the slot or circles -- and a physical side (aided by his 6-foot-3, 210 pound frame). Defensive reads and consistency have been the holdups that have limited Attard to 17 games in the NHL since he turned pro in the spring of 2022. Although he's still not immune to some defensive misplays, Attard has been more consistent in his all-around game the last few months.
Offensively, there is no doubt that Attard cam help to some degree. During his 15-game audition in 2021-22, he chipped in a pair of goals -- one on absolute rocket of a shot -- and four points. Last season, it was primarily Attard's offensive prowess (a dozen goals, 32 points) that earned him a spot in the AHL All-Star Game. This season, he's produced 10 goals and 25 points in 46 games with the Phantoms.
Andrae has been a boon to the Phantoms' power play, along with Attard. The Phantoms' power play is ranked in the top five leaguewide in the AHL, and the two young D men -- along with forwards Cooper Marody, rookie Samu Tuomaala and (when healthy) Tanner Laczynski -- have been central to that success. The Flyers organization wants Andrae to continue working on other areas of his game before his next potential recall. In Attard's case, the righthanded shot and 114 games of AHL experience plus 17 NHL games, got him the nod while Rasmus Ristolainen is still out week to week.
3) The Flyers will hold an 11 a.m. practice at the FTC in Voorhees on Thursday. With callups on the way and a big game in Washington looming the next day, I have opted to cover the practice in person.
Originally, when there were originally practices both on Wednesday and Thursday scheduled, I planned to cover the first practice and go on Thursday to the Flyers Alumni Association's first organized pickleball event in Malvern, Pa. However, the NHL team practice has to take priority in this instance, given where the Flyers are in the standings and the importance of the 3-in-4 that kicks off a stretch of 15 games in 30 nights.