Hart makes early exit, but Braun may make quick return

VOORHEES, N.J. >> Since it’s news whenever Chuck Fletcher makes himself available to share public thoughts on his team, you would have expected Fletcher to perhaps drop some news tips among his marathon remarks on Tuesday at the Skate Zone. You would have been wrong.

Nor did Fletcher offer his thoughts subsequently on the biggest news of the day, the worrisome occurrence of goalie Carter Hart leaving practice early due to something that head coach Alain Vigneault explained was “... in the lower body region.”

“We should find out in the next couple hours, I’m hoping,” he added.

Several hours later Fletcher released only the news that Hart’s condition would be updated Wednesday, presumably before the Flyers play the defending Stanley Cup champions in St. Louis.

“He just got off the ice,” Vigneault said. “After the game last night, everything was fine. Everything was fine this morning. So I’m not quite sure what happened between the time they’re warming up the goalies and I’m stepping on the ice (for practice Tuesday). I stepped on the ice and two minutes after, he was stepping off.”

Backup Brian Elliott, whose best years in net came as a St. Louis starter, was expected to start against the Blues anyway. As of last evening, there had been no known movement among the franchise’s respective minor league goalies.

It’s possible that either Jean-Francois Berube or Alex Lyon from the Phantoms, or Kirill Ustimenko or Felix Sandstrom from the Reading Royals could jet out to St. Louis and open the bench gate during the game.

Whether any of them would be needed remains to be seen.

Elsewhere on the injury front ... Fletcher is optimistic that his injurydampened defensive corps will soon rebound. Fletcher said veteran Justin Braun could be on track for a rather quick return.

“I think we’re hopeful that Braun can ... uh, he has a chance for Saturday,” Fletcher said with a reference to an upcoming home game against the Kings. And if not ...

“I think he has a strong chance for (next) Tuesday, if that makes any sense,” Fletcher said. “I think he’s feeling better. I think it’s likely we get him back before the break.”

The Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins Tues., Jan. 21, then take a 10-day break with the All-Star Game and a week-long, CBAmandated vacation break taking place.

As for Shayne Gostisbehere, he had arthroscopic surgery Tuesday on his knee, and Fletcher said he’s still on track for the Flyers’ return game from the schedule break, when they take on the Penguins in Pittsburgh Jan. 31.