Flyers rule Noah Cates out for rest of series vs. Hurricanes with lower-body injury
The Philadelphia Flyers are down at least one center for the rest of their second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Noah Cates was ruled out for the rest of this round with a lower-body injury, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday.
"He's a huge part. He's Mr. Consistency, right, all year," Tocchet said. "[He] does a lot of things for us, but it's no different than other teams. Next man up, you've heard the drill before."
Cates played in all 82 regular-season games and scored 18 goals and 47 points with a plus-26 rating. In eight playoff games, Cates had a goal and three assists while averaging 16 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time.
Christian Dvorak is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury but is likely to play in Thursday's Game 3. Dvorak didn't practice Wednesday. Owen Tippett missed Game 2 with a nagging injury but practiced Wednesday. His status for Game 3 is up in the air.
Tocchet said Trevor Zegras will move back to center with Cates out. If Dvorak plays, the Flyers will have Dvorak, Zegras, Denver Barkey and Sean Couturier at center.
The Flyers called up 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko after the 19-year-old's junior season ended. Luchanko is unlikely to be an option, but Tocchet left the door open if there are further injuries.
"We're good there," Tocchet said of the center position. "We'll be OK."
Cates, 27, plays in all situations for the Flyers and has mostly been glued to Matvei Michkov. The Flyers had Cates centering Michkov and Tyson Foerster in Game 2. Before, he was between Michkov and Alex Bump or Barkey.
Barkey was moved to center midway through Game 1 against the Canes and stayed there for Game 2.
Tocchet praised Barkey's work at center and his "high hockey IQ." Tocchet said Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones came to him a few weeks ago when the team needed centers and told him not to be afraid to try Barkey there.
Barkey, 21, has been primarily a wing but did play some center in junior.
"We're going to need him and he's going to get some ice time now that Catesy's out," Tocchet said.
With Cates out, Tocchet said Carl Grundström and Garnet Hathaway will have to help pick up penalty kill responsibilities.
"Everybody is going to get a little more ice time and more opportunities," Tocchet said. "Seize the moment type of thing."
The Flyers are down 2-0 to the Hurricanes, but the series shifts to Philadelphia on Thursday. Puck drop is scheduled for 8 p.m.