The Philadelphia Flyers put defenseman Helge Grans on waivers Monday, a move that could directly impact the defensive lineup they roll out when they face our Kraken in just a day or two. This isn’t just some random procedural thing; it’s a clear signal that the Flyers are shuffling their blueline and it’ll be fascinating to see who shows up on the ice when they hit the ice against Seattle.
Who Is Grans and Why This Move Matters (or Doesn’t)
Look, Grans, a 24-year-old Swedish blueliner, hasn’t exactly been tearing it up for Philadelphia. He played just one game with the Flyers this season, a 5-1 loss to Boston, where he was a minus-1 in his 12 minutes and 26 seconds of ice time, without registering any points or shots on goal. His history with the Flyers is pretty thin, too, with only six games and one assist back in the 2024-25 season. Most of his time has been down in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms: he put up 3 goals and 14 points in 61 games last season, and 8 goals and 15 helpers in 66 games the year before that. The guy was just activated from their injured, non-roster list on October 10. So, yeah, putting a player who’s seen the ice with the main squad only seven times in three seasons on waivers isn’t exactly a seismic shift for the Flyers organization.
Flyers’ Defensive Puzzle: Ristolainen, York, or Bonk?
The real juice here is what this waiver move *actually* means for the Flyers’ other defensemen. It feels like a clear sign that they are making space for someone coming back from injury or solidifying a spot for a younger player. Flyers defenseman Cam York was listed as day-to-day just days ago, and Rasmus Ristolainen hit Injured Reserve with an upper-body injury, retrodated to October 3, making him eligible to return anytime now. If either York or Ristolainen are healthy and ready to go for Tuesday’s game against Seattle, then Grans being waived makes total sense. If both are cleared, the Flyers would suddenly have a whopping eight healthy defensemen, forcing them to move Grans and at least one other player. With Ristolainen, Travis Konecny, and Nikita Grebenkin already on IR, the Flyers are currently at a full 23-man roster. If Ristolainen comes back, Grans has to go down. If York returns, they’re not forced into a move, but letting Grans go makes all the sense in the world given his limited ice time. Plus, let’s not forget Oliver Bonk, a young defenseman recalled from the Phantoms on Sunday. Bonk played on the top pairing with Travis Sanheim in their game against Carolina, though it was a tough outing for him, finishing minus-3 in 16 minutes and 28 seconds of play.
So, when our Kraken hit the ice Tuesday, they could be seeing a Flyers defense that’s just had a major shake-up. Will Ristolainen or York be back? Will Bonk be getting another shot? It means the Flyers’ blueline could look dramatically different than it did just days ago. Our Kraken just had a solid 5-3 win over the Washington Capitals, so they are rolling. It’ll be a tough challenge regardless, but knowing the Flyers are doing some roster gymnastics right before our boys step on the ice makes it even more intriguing to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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