The Flyers were dealt a pretty big blow Tuesday afternoon.
Tyson Foerster, their 23-year-old leading goal scorer, will be out for two to three months after suffering an upper-body injury in the Flyers’ 5-1 loss Monday night to the Penguins.
That means Foerster could be out until after the Olympic break. From Feb. 6-24, the Flyers go 19 days without a game because of the NHL’s participation in the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
On Monday night, Foerster fell to the ice in visible pain after unloading a shot on the power play. He immediately went up the tunnel at Xfinity Mobile Arena and toward the locker room.
His absence is a considerable hole for a Flyers team that is off to a strong start at 14-8-3. Foerster was leading the club with 10 goals and entered Monday night on pace for 31.
Going back to March 27 of last season, he had 19 goals in his last 30 games. He was just starting to touch his upside as a goal scorer, while also playing some of the toughest matchups for the Flyers.
Foerster had offseason surgery on his elbow to address an infection that stemmed from an injury he suffered playing for Team Canada at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. But he was ready to go for the Flyers’ season opener Oct. 9.
With Team Canada, Foerster played alongside superstars like Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.
“He’s just a hockey player,” Rick Tocchet said in September. “He knows where to go, he’s a smart guy, he can finish. Over at the world championships, Sidney Crosby called me and told me that he loved him. Just his off the ice, a sponge and stuff like that. When you hear that from one of the best players … pretty good endorsement.”
The Flyers called up veteran winger Carl Grundstrom, which could mean Nikita Grebenkin will have an opportunity to play higher in the lineup. The 22-year-old has played mostly on the fourth line.
One has to wonder if Alex Bump will eventually get a look with the Flyers. The 22-year-old prospect has 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in 20 games with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.