News broke just before last night’s game against the Devils that Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn would miss the game and likely several more after it, due to a foot injury he suffered on Wednesday night’s opener against Boston. The reports from that time made it sound as though Coburn would potentially miss a number of weeks due to his injury, putting an already-weak Flyers defense in an even deeper hole.
Fortunately, in his media availability today, Flyers GM Ron Hextall said that the injury was likely not as serious as before.
Hextall said initial diagnosis on Coburn leaves him more optimistic than before; could be days not weeks now. No Pronger official news…yet
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) October 10, 2014
Flyers will not recall a D man until Coby is examined again Mon. Flyers optimistic he plays in Dallas next Sat.
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) October 10, 2014
This is all obviously good news, considering that Coburn is almost inarguably one of the team’s two best defensemen and having him miss significant time would be a big problem. A timetable that has him back next Saturday in Dallas, as Carchidi mentions the Flyers are hoping for, would mean he’d only miss two more games — Saturday against Montreal and Tuesday against Anaheim, both at home.
The news that the Flyers won’t recall a defenseman until at least Monday also indicates that Nick Schultz will play again in tomorrow evening’s game. With the Phantoms’ season beginning tomorrow night as well, it remains to be seen if the Flyers will look to get one of their AHL defensemen up for the game against Anaheim, and that will likely be determined based on how Schultz plays tomorrow night.
