Flyers’ top goal scorer Tyson Foerster out 2-3 months with upper-body injury
Foerster suffered the injury as he shot the puck on goal in the second period against the Penguins. He skated off the ice holding his right shoulder. Carl Grundström was recalled on Tuesday.
The Flyers will be without their top goal scorer for some time.
Tyson Foerster will miss two to three months with an upper-body injury, the team said Tuesday. The Flyers did not disclose the extent of the injury he suffered Monday in a 5-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. A source told The Inquirer on Tuesday that the team is hopeful that the injury won’t require surgery and can be treated through rehab.
Flyers coach Rick Tocchet did not have an update postgame but said, “I hope it’s not long. Obviously, he’s a big part of our team.”
Foerster scored during a five-on-three, sending the puck past Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry from the left faceoff circle. His 10th goal of the season evened the score and broke a tie with Trevor Zegras atop the Flyers’ goal-scoring leaderboard.
» READ MORE: Travis Konecny is playing with ‘more conviction,’ according to Rick Tocchet. Are the goals about to come?
But less than a minute later, with the Flyers still on a five-on-three power play after Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang was called for high-sticking when the goal horn went off, Foerster took a pass from Zegras for a one-timer atop the left circle.
Foerster appeared to suffer an injury as he shot the puck on goal. He skated off, holding his right shoulder, and went down the tunnel.
“That’s tough. He’s such a big part of the team, the locker room, everything,” forward Travis Konecny said. “So, yeah, I mean, it’s definitely difficult.”
Added Noah Cates, who, along with Konecny, plays on a line with Foerster: “Yeah, [it stinks]. Seeing a teammate, or anyone, go down, and obviously just such an important part of our team, our core, just special teams, everything like that, so, yeah, just kind of messed with our lineup. … But everyone’s got to be ready and ready to play with everyone.”
The 23-year-old winger has been off to a fast start, despite missing four games with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly on Nov. 1. He has six goals in the last seven games and 13 points across 21 games this season.
“His release of his shot is really elite … but when he gets that puck in the slot or these prime areas, his release, really, it’s an elite shot, so I give him a lot of credit,” Tocchet said Saturday before the Flyers defeated the New Jersey Devils, 5-3. Foerster did not score in that game.
The winger had surgery in the offseason after a right elbow injury he picked up during the World Championships became infected. After some initial concern, he did not miss any game action and returned in time for opening night.
Foerster also has had issues with his right shoulder in the past. In November 2021, he dislocated his right shoulder while diving for a puck on a five-on-three power play for Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. He had shoulder surgery and missed 4½ months. Foerster also suffered a broken tibia in February 2021.
With the Flyers already having a roster spot open after defenseman Adam Ginning cleared waivers Monday afternoon and was assigned to the Phantoms, speculation swirled that Alex Bump would be called up to make his NHL debut.
But a source tells The Inquirer the Flyers were always more likely to recall a veteran from Lehigh Valley. The Flyers officially recalled Carl Grundström on Tuesday night. Grundström played one game this season with the Flyers on Nov. 8 against Ottawa after being acquired in a trade that sent Ryan Ellis’ contract to the San Jose Sharks. Originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 28-year-old has 76 points in 293 career games split between the Flyers, Sharks, and Los Angeles Kings. He has six goals and 15 points in 19 games with Lehigh Valley this season.
The move signals that Nikita Grebenkin likely will get a chance to show what he can do while playing in a top-nine role. The 22-year-old Grebenkin, who has mostly played on the fourth line this season and has been in and out of the lineup, has one goal and three points in 16 games this season.
» READ MORE: Tyson Foerster is becoming ‘a guy that we really rely on’ to score for the Flyers
There should be a call-up for Bump at some point this season. The winger has four goals and 16 points in 20 games with Lehigh Valley this season. Although he had a slow start and hasn’t scored a goal since Nov. 14, Bump has three goals and 13 points in his last 12 games.
“The moment that it really clicked for him was after the second Wilkes-Barre game. I challenged him in a different way,” Phantoms coach John Snowden told The Inquirer in mid-November, referencing Bump’s fifth game of the season.
“We all know that he has the offensive ability — he can hold onto the puck, he can beat you one-on-one, he can score with his shot, he can beat you with a pass, he’s got all those qualities. But the one thing that he was lacking was the abrasiveness in playing inside of contact and getting guys on your back and in finishing hits when it’s time to finish a hit, and valuing the defensive side of things.
“All those little things that are going to create more offensive opportunities for him, we need to get those better.”