Turner Stevenson is out with a right hip flexor and is listed day to day. He underwent surgery on his hip October 18, returned to the lineup about a month later only to re-injure it. Since then he has started several games only to play a couple shifts in each. The problem is no that the hip is injured but there is pain in the hip. Stevenson was reexamined by the doctor who did the surgery and the hip looks fine.
“It’s good news and bad,” Stevenson said. “They don’t know what is causing this problem. This is very frustrating. The doctor says I am fine, but I know something is wrong.”
He will be with the team in Washington, but doubtful to play.
Joni Pitkanen is slated to be out 4 to 6 weeks from December 5 with a sports hernia. He will skate with the team this weekend, but will not play.
Robert Esche has been out since December 15 with a groin pull. He is scheduled to return in the next week or so.
Eric Desjardins has been out since December 7 with a right shoulder subluxation. He is slated to return sometime in February.
Ryan Ready suffered an Abductor strain on November 29. Apparently he is healthy again, he has been returned to the Phantoms.
Keith Primeau is still having post concussion symptoms. Every few weeks or so he is reported to be showing improvement. The problem with his improvements is that they are too small to count in the big picture.
Primeau has been out since October 30. The past couple weeks he has been taking medication to help reduce his dizzy spells. He is skating, but still getting dizzy spells. The current improvements are that the dizzy spells are not lasting as long as they use to.
There has been some talk about replacing him if he can’t play this year, getting a solid checking center after January if he does not improve.
I just don’t see the need. The Flyers have Carter, Richards, Handzus, Forsberg and Umberger. Five centers not counting Primeau. If the Flyers get healthy even without Primeau, this is the team to go with. Right now the only thing the Flyers need is a defenseman. Pitkanen will be back in January and Desjardins will be back in February.