It took only two games for Brayden Schenn to be removed from the Flyers' top line, but the 20-year-old forward shouldn't take it personally.
Schenn, who played in Adirondack while NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and players union chief Donald Fehr played with the league's future, had clicked with fellow physical and skilled forward Tye McGinn on a line with the Phantoms.
With McGinn called up to replace the injured Zac Rinaldo for tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, coach Peter Laviolette thought it best to give those young guys another shot at playing together.
You know, against the defending Eastern Conference champions.
"I think he's a little bit nervous," Schenn said of McGinn. "But that's going to happen. He’s a second-year pro. I know he’s excited, I’m excited for him. I’m sure he will do well."
McGinn talked of the nice chemistry he enjoyed with Schenn in the AHL this season.
"It was great," said McGinn. "Playing with all those guys ... Rinaldo, (Sean) Couturier (too) ... it brings friendships together on and off the ice. It helps out a lot for me.
I was mostly with Schenn. I know what he likes to do, hopefully he knows what I like to do and hopefully we can contribute."
That hope is shared, as the Flyers don't want to fall to 0-3, though the schedule makers couldn't have picked a more difficult place for them to play in that circumstance. Oh, and the Rangers are in Philly Thursday.
For tonight's game, Laviolette has made several line switches to try to get the offense working.
"We talked about it," Laviolette said. "When you find yourself not getting the results you want, the urgency level goes up. So I think that’s where we’re at."
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Defenseman Kurtis Foster was held out of the morning skate today in Newark, leading to speculation of an injury. But club officials said he was on "a maintainence day." You'll see a lot of that in a 48-game season.