Flyers Key Defenseman Suffers Another Injury

Just when it seemed like the Philadelphia Flyers were getting healthy and building some momentum, they lost to the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, and now they've lost one of their key defensemen due to injury... again.

In Saturday's 5-4 loss to Anaheim, Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen returned to the lineup after three weeks out of commission, playing in his first game since Oct. 3.

Somewhat surprisingly, though, Ristolainen played just 18 shifts and 14:34, despite playing 33 shifts and 22:44 in his last start-to-finish fully healthy game on Oct. 1.

It was clear on Saturday that the 31-year-old hadn't returned to full strength and was eased back into action, having been placed on the third defense pair next to rookie Hunter McDonald.

Then, on Monday morning, Ristolainen was absent from the Flyers' practice session at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J., and the Flyers subsequently announced the dreaded news: Ristolainen will now be about approximately two weeks with an upper-body injury.

According to Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet via NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jordan Hall, the injury is an aggravation of the one Ristolainen had previously missed three weeks and nine games with.

The obvious silver lining for the Flyers is that rookie defenseman Oliver Bonk has been a revelation, looking remarkably solid and comfortable in Ristolainen's usual place next to Travis Sanheim on the top defense pair.

For the Flyers to remain competitive and have an iota of a chance at making the playoffs, that trend will need to continue in Ristolainen's absence.

To fill in on the third defense pair, the Flyers will likely continue to use a committee of players like Hunter McDonald, Simon Benoit, and David Jiricek.

According to Hall, McDonald and Benoit skated as the third defense pair for Monday's practice.

Cam York, who remains on injured reserve, comprised a fourth defense pair with Jiricek, with the latter projecting to be a healthy scratch for a third consecutive game when the Flyers host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

Of note, Ristolainen is in the last year of his contract with a $5.1 million cap hit. The Finn has one goal in four games for the Flyers this season.