Richard played 13 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season but has spent the majority of his career playing in the AHL. In 41 games with the Providence Bruins this season, the 27-year-old Richard has 37 points (18G / 19A).
Vladar has not played since January 20th, serving as a backup to Jacob Markstrom, but will be out of the lineup for at least a week after being placed on IR with a lower-body injury on Friday. The Flames have recalled Dustin Wolf from the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) to replace Vladar, who owns an ugly 3.27 GAA and .888 SV% in 16 games (7-7-2).
Elliotte Friedman put any trade speculation to rest when he reported Ristolainen is in fact out with an illness, and is not a healthy scratch on Thursday. Marc Staal is expected to draw into the lineup in his place.
Richard played 13 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season but has spent the majority of his career playing in the AHL. In 41 games with the Providence Bruins this season, the 27-year-old Richard has 37 points (18G / 19A).
Erson was tremendous in the Flyers' first game back from the All-Star break and will return to the crease on Thursday. On Tuesday, Ersson saved 20 of 21 shots (.952 SV%) in an impressive 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers, snapping a five-game losing streak for Ersson and the Flyers. That said, the Flyers are +120 home underdogs against a Winnipeg Jets team outscored 12-3 over their past four games (0-3-1).
Ersson will get the nod for the fifth consecutive game on Tuesday when the Flyers travel to Sunrise. The 24-year-old netminder has struggled of late, going winless in his last five appearances and posting an .826 SV% over that span. On the bright side, those struggles came on the heels of what had been the most successful stretch of Ersson's young career, as he posted an 11-2-2 record and a .931 SV% across his previous 15 games. The Flyers will need him to regain some of that form in Florida on Tuesday where they find themselves as +170 underdogs.
Tippett has been out since January 20th due to a lower-body injury but was activated off the Injured Reserve Tuesday and is expected to return to his top-six role. The 24-year-old is enjoying somewhat of a breakout season which led to a big contract extension this season with 18 goals, 30 points, 167 SOG, two PIMs, and a -3 plus/minus in 46 games played.
Tomasino will return to the lineup on Monday after being a healthy scratch in each of the Predators' previous two games. Kiefer Sherwood will sit in his place. Tomasino has five goals and 12 assists in 38 games this season.
Tippett has become one of the main offensive cogs in Philadelphia and has been rewarded with an eight-year, $49.6 million contract extension. The 24-year-old broke out last season with 49 points (27G / 22A) in 77 games and, despite currently being on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, is producing at a higher pace this season with 30 points (18G / 12A) in 46 games. This season, Tippett has established himself as a skilled power-forward, evident by his 168 shots on goals and 68 hits.
Ristolainen appears to be a healthy scratch as he was on the ice for warmups but did not participate in line rushes. Ristolainen has a goal and three assists in 28 games this season.
Cody Glass will draw into the lineup in favour of Tomasino, who has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games while recording a -1 plus/minus and three shots on goal. Thursday's game against the Minnesota Wild marks the second time in three contests that Tomasino has been a healthy scratch.
Jiriceck has spent most of the season with the Blue Jackets, appearing in 36 games and tallying nine points (1G / 8A). The No.6 pick from 2022 will return to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL, where he has three assists in three games.
Ersson will start for the third straight game on Thursday and will likely continue to see the majority of action between the pipes for the Flyers, with Carter Hart away from the team on an indefinite leave of absence. Despite a solid season for the 24-year-old Ersson, he has allowed four goals in two straight (0-2-0), posting an ugly .846 SV%. The Flyers are +109 road underdogs against a Detroit Red Wings club with only two regulation losses in their last 10 games (7-2-1).
Tippett left the Flyers' game on Saturday vs. Colorado due to a lower-body injury and has officially been placed on the Injured Reserve Tuesday. It is a massive loss for the Flyers as the 24-year-old was leading the Flyers in SOG (167), was second in goals (18) and third in points (30).
Ersson has quietly become the go-to option between the pipes for the Flyers and will start for the third time in their last four games. Ersson allowed four goals on 33 shots (.879 SV%) in his last outing, a 5-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators, the first time he has allowed more than three goals since October, a span in which he has posted a tremendous .927 SV% in 19 games (12-4-2). The Flyers are slight -102 home underdogs on Tuesday against a Tampa Bay Lightning team that is 7-3-0 in their last 10.
Cody Glass and Juuso Parssinen will be healthy scratches on Monday, allowing Tomasino and Michael McCarron to draw into the lineup. Tomasino is expected to play on the fourth line with McCarron and Cole Smith.
Ersson gave up on goal on nine shots after replacing Carter Hart in the Flyers loss to the Avalanche on Saturday. With each passing game, Ersson is looking more and more like the Flyers’ best option between the pipes. After a bad start to the season, Ersson has gone 12-3-2 with a .930 SV% and three shutouts in his last 18 appearances.
Jiriceck has spent most of the season with the Blue Jackets, appearing in 36 games and tallying nine points (1G / 8A). During his brief stint in Cleveland, the No.6 pick from 2022 had three assists in three games. He'll be with the team as they leave for a West Coast road swing.
