Flyers place Lycksell, Richard on waivers

On Friday, the Flyers have placed forwards Olle Lycksell and Anthony Richard on waivers for the purpose of demotion down to AHL Lehigh Valley. They are expected to report to Phantoms training camp and start their season down there.

For Lycksell, this is a bit of a surprise. The Flyers are heading to Western Canada on a dreaded road trip to start the season and typically, teams like to carry some extra players so they don’t need to fly one out in case of injury. As the roster currently exists, they logically have 13 forwards available. All the names you typically expect, along with Nic Deslauriers serving as the extra skater. So, officially the Flyers will be carrying out 13 forwards on their way to Vancouver (more on that not really being true, later).

And to our favorite French-Canadian named Anthony, he really impressed during camp — showed his speed, ability to be a menacing forechecker, and be generally entertaining — but ultimately, at the very most he is a player that will only be in the NHL if injuries have hit a team hard. He is a top-line AHLer, but just pure depth when it comes to an organization overall. Richard should score a lot of points for Lehigh Valley and feature in their top six.

Now, the elephant in the room is named Jett Luchanko. The freshly 18-year-old center is still at training camp, and by everything that Flyers head coach John Tortorella is saying and how the lineup looks, with him on the third line between Joel Farabee and Bobby Brink at practice on Friday, he’s essentially made the team. Now would be the time to send him back to the OHL’s Guelph Storm, with all preseason games done and a week until the season opener; but they are not.

Additionally, with Luchanko involved, that is 14 forwards and most likely seven defensemen heading out west. That is a perfectly reasonable lineup that should prevent any additional westbound flights from Philadelphia.

Now, the fun starts and as it stands, the Flyers will be having someone who is barely 18 years old in the lineup when they open the season against the Canucks on October 11.