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Flyers recall veteran defenseman Derrick Pouliot for taxi squad

Pouliot is a candidate to be added to their 23-man roster if Phil Myers' injury is serious.

Flyers defenseman Derrick Pouliot skates with the puck against right winger Linus Sandin during an intrasquad game Jan. 10 at the Wells Fargo Center.
Flyers defenseman Derrick Pouliot skates with the puck against right winger Linus Sandin during an intrasquad game Jan. 10 at the Wells Fargo Center.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

The Flyers recalled veteran defenseman Derrick Pouliot from the AHL’s Phantoms on Wednesday and placed him on the taxi squad, perhaps an indication that Phil Myers will be sidelined for a while.

Taxi-squad members travel and work out with the NHL teams.

Myers, a second-pairing defenseman in the first four games, was injured after absorbing a hit from Buffalo’s Jake McCabe in the Flyers’ 3-0 win Tuesday. He was scheduled to have an MRI Wednesday, and the Flyers said they will have a medical update Thursday.

If Myers is sidelined, Mark Friedman figures to join the defensive rotation, and the Flyers may recall a taxi-squad member to be an extra defenseman. Pouliot joins Nate Prosser as the defensemen on the taxi squad. Converted defenseman Samuel Morin, now a left winger, is among the taxi-squad players.

The Flyers (3-1) play in Boston (1-1-1) on Thursday, starting a four-game road trip.

Pouliot, 27, was drafted in the first round (No. 8 overall) by Pittsburgh in 2012 and has played in 202 NHL games with the Penguins, Vancouver and St. Louis, collecting 48 points (eight goals, 40 assists). He made his postseason debut with the Penguins during their 2016 run to the Stanley Cup, appearing in two games.

The Flyers signed him to a one-year, two-way contract for $700,000 in October. At the time, general manager Chuck Fletcher said Pouliot gave the organization depth and that if he was with the Phantoms, he would be a puck mover and quarterback their power play.

The 6-foot, 196-pound Pouliot was an AHL All-Star last season with San Antonio, ranking sixth among league defensemen with 39 points (seven goals, 32 assists) in 58 games, but he had a minus-21 rating.

Breakaways

Entering Wednesday, Travis Konecny was tied for the NHL lead in goals (4) and points (6). ... Brad Marchand tops the Bruins with three points, and goalies Tuukka Rask (1.46 GAA) and Jaroslav Halak (1,85 GAA) are off to strong starts. ... The win over Buffalo was the 692nd of Alain Vigneaut’s coaching career, putting him past Dick Irvin and into ninth place on the all-time NHL list. ... Boston’s penalty kill is 13 for 13, while the Flyers’ is 11 for 15.