Three notable NHL hopefuls remain on the Flyers' training camp roster.
With the latest round of cuts, the Philadelphia Flyers' opening-night roster is beginning to fall into place.
Wednesday afternoon, the Flyers reduced their training camp roster by six players. Forwards Samu Tuomalaa and Tanner Laczynski, defensemen Ronnie Attard, Adam Ginning and Victor Mete and goalie Cal Petersen were all loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Laczynski, Mete and Petersen all passed through waivers without being claimed.
The Flyers' roster now stands at 26 players. However, after head coach John Tortorella declared Sam Ersson the club's new backup goalie, one can rationally assume netminder Felix Sandstrom will also be placed on waivers in the coming days.
Forward J.R. Avon is likely to be released from the roster as well after he recovers from a PCL sprain suffered early in training camp.
The release of Attard was expected, but still significant. Attard performed well throughout camp and was often very noticeable, jumping up into the play and frequently firing heavy shots on net. In Monday night's victory over the Boston Bruins, Attard finally logged his first point of the preseason — an assist on a Joel Farabee redirection.
While Attard will start the campaign in Lehigh Valley, it will hardly be shocking if he earns some NHL minutes at some point during the regular season.
Of the players still with the Flyers, three NHL hopefuls stand out — Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink and Emil Andrae.
After a strong eight-game showing with the Flyers last season, many penciled Foerster in as a near lock to make the team out of training camp. However, Brink's recent emergence has muddied the waters a bit. It's possible both Foerster and Brink could make the opening-night roster, but that would require the Flyers to potentially part with a forward and risk losing them for nothing through waivers.
Andrae, meanwhile, is a longshot to make the roster despite putting together a solid camp. In all likelihood, Andrae will begin the season in Lehigh Valley before playing some fill-in games with the Flyers later in the season.
The final 23-player roster is due at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, October 9.