Flyers forward Derick Brassard to return to the lineup against Detroit after long injury layoff

The six-day All-Star break gave the Flyers, a team with nine players out due to injury, an opportunity to rest up and rehab before embarking upon the remaining 37 games of the season.

On Wednesday against the Detroit Red Wings at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers will inch one step closer toward a healthy roster. Forward Derick Brassard, who has missed 26 games this season with a hip injury, returns to the lineup for the first time since Jan. 6.

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Brassard participated in a few practices and morning skates leading up to the All-Star break as he gradually ramped up his conditioning. However, instead of pushing him and risking injury again, interim head coach Mike Yeo opted to wait until after the break for Brassard to get back into games.

“[Brassard’s] conditioning level is not where it would be for most players at this time of the year,” Yeo said. “But really, the only way to get that back is to get in and start playing again.”

During the break, Brassard said he skated a couple of times to ensure he would “stay in shape on the ice and stay sharp.” It’s been a long road back for Brassard, who first sustained the hip injury on Nov. 23 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He missed the next two weeks before making his return to the lineup on Dec. 8 against the New Jersey Devils, but another setback forced him to sit out a month.

Then, after returning on Jan. 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brassard re-injured his hip and missed yet another month. In between stints of game action, Brassard worked hard individually and with other injured players in an effort to get back into playing shape.

“It’s tough just to come at the rink every morning and I had a lot of skates,” Brassard said. “I was by myself or with a coach with no goalies or anything. And you see your teammates practicing and traveling and they’ve been trying really hard, competing really well on the ice and you’re not capable of playing. It’s never a good feeling.”

Now, Brassard figures to slot into the third line at center between wingers Max Willman and Gerry Mayhew. Forward Morgan Frost last held that role, however Frost and defenseman Cam York were loaned to the Phantoms before the break and were not recalled Tuesday.

Yeo does not plan on limiting Brassard’s minutes against Detroit as he acclimates to game play.

Following the All-Star break, the NHL rolled back its enhanced COVID-19 measures and dissolved the option for each club to carry a taxi squad. In turn, prior to the break, the Flyers sent four players down to the Phantoms before the break: York, Frost, Isaac Ratcliffe, and Jackson Cates. Ratcliffe was recalled on Tuesday and is expected to play on the Flyers’ fourth line with Connor Bunnaman and Zack MacEwen.

Notably, the Flyers did not send down forwards Willman and Mayhew, who made strong impressions with the opportunities they earned while Flyers regulars were out due to injury or COVID-19 over the past two months. In 26 games played, Willman has registered two goals and one assist. Mayhew has scored three goals in 12 games played.

Most importantly, according to Yeo, Willman and Mayhew each have qualities that help the Flyers be “hard to play against.” This includes possessing the puck, playing in the opposing team’s face, and checking persistently, and Willman and Mayhew do all three.

“For me, both those guys, the work ethic has been outstanding,” Yeo said. “Obviously, they’ve got speed to get in on the forecheck to create turnovers. So with that, they’ve had the puck a lot. Obviously, this is a fun game to play when you have the puck.”

Together with Brassard and Mayhew, Willman said that the third line as a whole plays with speed, which is a hallmark of his own game. Against the Red Wings, Willman envisions the third line having good chemistry because of their clear-cut identity.

“I think it helps when guys get the puck, you kind of know what they’re thinking,” Willman said. “They’re trying to go north and play fast. Not try and dilly-dally with it too much. I think the more I play with Gerry, and Brass will be just the same. It’ll just be even easier and we’ll just click even more.”

Goalie Carter Hart (29 games played, .915 save percentage, 2.80 goals against average) will start in net against the Red Wings. ... Following the All-Star break, Yeo altered the responsibilities of each of his assistant coaches with John Torchetti joining the staff. Torchetti now coaches the forwards and the power play. Darryl Williams moves from power play to penalty kill and continues to coach the defensemen. Nick Schulz moves from penalty kill to being the team’s “eye in the sky” during games and also contributes to the scouting. “Quite a few switches in there, but all guys are very capable and comfortable in the spots that they’re in,” Yeo said.