Philadelphia Flyers forward Rodrigo Abols found himself in a tough situation during the first period of last Saturday night’s 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center. The incident occurred when Abols attempted to play the puck along the boards, but instead, he ended up falling on the play. His skate blade got caught on the ice, leading to his leg twisting in an awkward position.

The injury was severe enough that Abols could not skate off the ice on his own. He required assistance from his teammates to leave the rink. This setback comes at a challenging time for the Flyers, who have been struggling with a significant losing streak. In their last 10 games, the team has only managed 3 wins and 1 overtime loss, with six consecutive losses.

According to medical expert Dr. Harjas Grewal, Abols may be sidelined for at least eight weeks due to what appears to be an ankle fracture. This news adds to the Flyers’ woes, as they already have other key players on injured reserve. Goalie Dan Vladar is currently on the IR, and Tyson Foerster suffered a long-term injury earlier this season.

Abols’ injury has created a gap in the Flyers’ fourth line. To address this, the team has recalled Lane Pederson from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to take over for Abols. However, there is no clear timeline for Abols’ return to the ice. Based on Dr. Grewal’s assessment, it seems likely that Abols will miss a substantial amount of time with the Flyers.

Abols to Miss Olympics

The injury also affected Abols’ participation in the Olympics. Team Latvia announced on Monday that Abols had been replaced on their official Olympic roster, according to CBS Sports. This development is not entirely unexpected, as the Flyers placed Abols on injured reserve, listing him as week-to-week. With an estimated eight-week recovery period, Abols might be back in time for late February or early March.

This situation is disappointing for Abols, as this year’s Olympic appearance would have been a major milestone in his career. He has been a consistent player for Latvia in international competitions. Last spring, he played three games for his country, scoring two goals in the IIHF World Championship. Abols also participated in the Olympic qualifiers, where he scored two goals and added two assists, helping Latvia secure an Olympic berth.

Flyers May Need to Consider Depth Options at Trade Deadline

With Abols expected to be out for approximately two months, the Flyers may need to explore depth options. Prior to their current losing streak, Philadelphia was in a playoff spot. If the Flyers still see themselves as a playoff contender, they may need to consider adding more depth in case of further injuries.

Assuming Abols returns after the Olympics, the Flyers will have until the March 6 trade deadline to decide if additional help is necessary. If Abols cannot return, the team may need to find a suitable replacement for the remainder of the season.

However, if the Flyers fall completely out of contention, they may opt to rely on internal options to finish the season. This decision will depend on how the team performs in the coming weeks and whether they can regain their footing.