Flyers defenseman Ryan Parent out 12 to 14 weeks, door open for Sbisa?

The Flyers season kicks off on Saturday against the New York Rangers but the Flyers have already received some bad news on the injury front. Ryan Parent, a young defenseman who was expected to slide into the Flyers lineup this season, will have surgery to repair a torn labrum that he suffered earlier in the preseason. Parent will miss 12 to 14 weeks, putting his return sometime around the All Star break. Parent played 22 regular games with the Flyers last season and 4 playoff games and appeared poised to take on a bigger role with the club. He's still only 21 so the Flyers are smart to be cautious with him and look out for his long-term health.

With the loss of Parent, it appears more and more likely that 18 year-old first round pick Luca Sbisa will make the team coming out of camp. Sbisa has looked impressive in the preseason and certainly doesn't look like an 18 year-old out on the ice. The situation with Sbisa is tricky for the Flyers because, with his young age, if he doesn't play with the big club he has to play with a junior team. He can't play for the Phantoms. And, if Sbisa starts the season with the Flyers and plays in 10 games, he must stay with the club for the entire season and can't be returned to a junior team. I would bet that the Flyers start the season with Sbisa on the club and see how he does for a few games and then re-assess if they should send him down and call up someone else from the Phantoms, like Danny Syvret who the Flyers just sent down today. If Sbisa doesn't play much with the Flyers anyway he should just get sent down and we'll see him again next year when he can take on a bigger role.