Philadelphia Flyers’s Jamie Drysdale to return to lineup after missing 14 games

Drysdale has been out of the lineup since Feb. 25, when he was injured during the Flyers’ 7-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He received an upper-body injury after receiving a hit from Penguins forward Jansen Harkins and was placed on injured reserve a few days later.

Drysdale had been practicing over the past week, preparing himself for a return to the lineup.

While speaking to the media, Tortorella also confirmed that Drysdale would be running the top power-play unit.

The 21-year-old has played in 27 games this season, 10 with the Anaheim Ducks, and 17 since he was traded to Philadelphia for Cutter Gauthier. Drysdale has missed time this season due to illness, and missing over two months after suffering a lower-body injury back in early October. The 2020 sixth-overall pick has scored three goals and nine points so far this season, with four of those points coming with the Flyers.

Drysdale had just signed a three-year contract with the Ducks right before the season started, with an AAV of $2.3 million through the end of the 2025-26 season.

In 140 career games, Drysdale has scored 10 goals and 39 assists.

His return could not come at a more crucial time for the Flyers. The team has gone 6-8-2 in Drysdale’s absence, and is on a four-game losing skid heading into Monday night’s divisional clash with the Islanders. Philadelphia (36-29-10) has slipped down to the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of the Detroit Red Wings.

The Flyers are also fourth in the Metropolitan Division, though they are with the Washington Capitals in points (82). The Caps have played two fewer games than Philadelphia.