Rick Tocchet has some encouraging news for the Flyers as they get ready for Utah: Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett are closer to returning.
According to Jamey Baskow, the Flyers head coach says both forwards are day to day more than ever. Tocchet also said they could play against Utah on Sunday.
Both players are listed on injured reserve, so the update matters. Konecny is listed with a lower-body injury and is expected to be out until at least Nov 3. Tippett is listed with an upper-body injury and is expected to be out until at least Nov 1.
Those are estimates, and Tocchet's comments suggest the timeline could move up for Konecny. Sunday would be a quick turnaround for him.
The Flyers could use the help. They sit 30th in the NHL at 3-8-4, and they've lost three straight, most recently 5-2 in Washington on Wednesday night.
That game was played without both wingers, as we noted in our look at Konecny and Tippett missing the Capitals game.
Konecny has played only five games this season. He has three assists, no goals and a -4 rating, which is not the start anyone in Philadelphia wanted from a player with his résumé.
Flyers need scoring help before Utah arrives
The offense is where the absences hurt. Philadelphia has scored 29 goals and allowed 51, a goal differential of -22 that ranks among the ugliest in the league.
Tippett has played nine games and has one goal and one assist. Those are modest numbers, but the Flyers don't have the depth to shrug off losing a top-six right winger.
Tocchet has been searching for answers, and he reshuffled the forward group again recently. Our report on Trevor Zegras getting center time showed how much the coach is tinkering.
Getting two regulars back would give him real options. It might also let him settle on something, which this team has lacked for most of October.
Baskow relayed the coach's update on Saturday morning, and the wording was cautious: day to day, and could play.
The opponent won't make it easy. Utah is 9-5-0 and 8th in the NHL, and it won 4-3 in overtime in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
The Flyers have been shaky at home as well, at 2-3-3 at the Wells Fargo Center. A full lineup would help, but Sunday will show whether either winger is truly ready to go.
