VOORHEES, N.J. – With injured defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen taking part in Friday’s practice at the Flyers Training Zone, naturally there was speculation about his playing status for Saturday afternoon’s game against Anaheim.
The answer: A great big maybe.
The Finn, who has missed the last nine games due to a hand injury, usually plays on the top pairing with Travis Sanheim.
Ristolainen has been missed, of course, but with the Flyers on a three-game winning streak, there’s been really no rush to get him back in the lineup.
So now the question becomes if Ristolainen does play, will he be reunited with Sanheim or does he move and allow Sanheim’s new partner, Oliver Bonk, to stay put?
Adding more clouds to the mix, Cam York also practiced on Friday, making the situation even a bit more complex at some point down the road.
“He (Bonk) is obviously not going to be playing 22 minutes, with York and ‘Risto’ coming back,” coach Rick Tocchet said after the practice. “Kind of slotting people in where they’re supposed to be gives ‘Reird’s’ (assistant coach Todd Reirden, who oversees the defense) a little more flexibility.
“He’s been pretty heavy on ‘Sandy’ and ‘Bonker.’ It’s a good thing. Especially with Risto a big-minute guy. But Bonker is going to get his time, too. He’s played well for us.”
Bonk came up with two assists in Wednesday night’s 3-1 win at Buffalo and looked no worse for wear after the unexpected effort.
When speaking after the practice, Sanheim said he really has no preference. Showing Bonk the ropes has been fun.
“It’s been good,” he said. “He just continues to get better each game. He looks a lot more comfortable than the first game. It’s a credit to him, his maturity, how he approaches the game. It’s been impressive to watch what he’s been able to do.”
Whoever plays with Sanheim usually comes out looking good on the stat sheet.
“I’m comfortable with a lot of different guys,” Sanheim said. “We have a pretty good group of defensemen back there. They all play in a lot of different situations.
“It’s been nice playing with Bonker. It’s been impressive to watch. Looking forward to where his next steps take him.”
Job competition is a good thing on any team.
“It’s always great, you want to be pushing each other,” Sanheim said. “We have to be better and continue to grow as a group. And having bodies back is going to allow us to do that.”
>Barkey versatile
Since he came off the injured list, Denver Barkey has picked up where he left off in terms of versatility.
He can play wing, center, kill penalties and take a shift on the power play.
“In five-on-five, I think he’s played really well for us,” Tocchet said. “He’s underrated on the power play, at the bumper position. We’ve scored the last three games on the power play. He’s not always on the scoresheet but he’s kept plays alive.
“I would give him big credit on the power play, what he’s doing. I think a guy like Barkey really helps that unit with retrievals.”
Barkey was a new kid on the block last season but with the influx of freshmen coming in recently, he’s almost regarded as a veteran.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “We’ve been in the AHL together. To see the hard work, the dedication pay off and for some of them to be called up with us, all of us are excited. We go out to dinner together, spend time together. We’re all in similar spots, so we can relate to them, too. Not hard to have fun when you have guys around your age.”
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