The Philadelphia Flyers have recalled forward Olle Lycksell from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Giana Han of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Saturday.
Lycksell, 23, comes to Philadelphia to replace the roster spot vacated by Kieffer Bellows after he either clears or gets claimed on waivers today. The one-for-one roster swap still leaves the Flyers with 12 healthy forwards on the active roster, as the team has not moved Zack MacEwen to injured reserve as he recovers from a jaw injury.
Drafted 168th overall in 2017, Lycksell is having an exceptional first season in North America. It’s already earned him some short call-ups, but he’s still searching for his first NHL point after three appearances earlier this season. In Lehigh Valley, he’s among the team’s leading scorers with nine goals, 25 assists, and 34 points in 34 games.
In contrast, Bellows has just one goal in 15 games with Philadelphia since being claimed on waivers earlier this season. He has nine points in 11 games with Lehigh Valley, where he’ll return if he clears waivers.
Lycksell will have to fight for increased minutes in the Flyers’ lineup. Youngsters like Owen Tippett, Noah Cates, and Wade Allison have had impressive campaigns and locked down spots in Philadelphia’s top three lines. Lycksell will likely replace Bellows’ spot on the fourth line alongside Nicolas Deslauriers and Patrick Brown, which is not an ideal spot for offensive production. The two have combined for just 12 points this season.