Fletcher, Flyers readying for season
Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said earlier this week that he anticipates a 23man roster for the upcoming 56-game regular season, which for his team kicks off Jan. 13 against Pittsburgh at fan-free Wells Fargo Center.
With the AHL still on hold for the time being, and considering a packed schedule offering many travel challenges to basically everywhere but the East Division – in which the fortunate Flyers will reside – it is expected each team will have a “taxi squad” of minor leaguers and prospects practicing with the club and providing assistance down the road if needed.
The Flyers will undergo team physicals Jan. 3 at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J., and will conduct a first practice and scrimmage session on the ice there the next day. It will be a condensed training camp there prior to their season opener.
“The taxi squad’s basically going to be our top recalled players that will physically be in our own little bubble at Voorhees with us,” Fletcher said. “It will depend on performance in training camp, obviously the health of our roster and where we may need to fill. We have enough cap flexibility to easily carry 23, so we’ll build the taxi squad around those 23, in terms of performance in camp, (and the) health of our club.”
“The taxi squad’s basically going to be our top recalled players that will physically be in our own little bubble at Voorhees with us. It will depend on performance in training camp, obviously the health of our roster and where we may need to fill.” – Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher on roster outlook for upcoming season.