By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor
Michael Del Zotto will miss the next four-to-five weeks with a lower-body injury, GM Ron Hextall announced Friday.
Del Zotto, the Flyers' third-year blueliner, will subsequently miss the start of the season. He'll target early November for a return.
Per GM Ron Hextall, #Flyers D Michael Del Zotto will be out 4-5 weeks with a lower body injury → https://t.co/Xt9T6zcTyo
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 7, 2016
In five games so far this preseason, Del Zotto has recorded an assist and a plus-1 rating, all while logging 20:48 of ice time per game. The injury is a significant blow to him, as he missed the end of last season (and the playoffs) with a wrist injury.
With Del Zotto out, and a week-to-week injury to Brandon Manning, those who are pining to see 19-year-old prospect Ivan Provorov make the final roster may get their wish. He (along with Travis Konecny) will have one last chance to make their case tomorrow in Boston, and with Scott Laughton out 3-to-4 weeks as well, Hextall and the rest of the Flyers brass may not have a choice.
