Photo Courtesy of Amy Irvin/38 Photography
Flyers fans were treated to some good news late last week when the team announced that Kimmo Timonen would return to the ice, after undergoing treatment for blood clots.
Timonen, of course, will skate on his own until the beginning of next week at the latest, according to the seven-to-10 day timetable that he and the organization laid out. From there, a decision will be made as to when he could return to game action.
The question though, is where will Timonen and the Flyers go from there?
There's no doubt that Timonen will be taking the ice in game action, if cleared to do so. Considering how hard and aggressively he's been working to return to this point — coupled with his insistence of leaving the game on his own terms — he'll certainly return to the lineup if he's cleared to do so.
But with the Flyers still nine points out of a playoff spot, it's worth wondering if a return would be all for naught. And with the news of Sunday's injury to Steve Mason, the Winged P faces yet another obstacle to make the playoffs. Even if a return doesn't result in a playoff spot, Timonen at least gets the option of leaving the game with his skates on — something he's clamored for on several instances.
A potential Timonen return could help rally the Flyers towards a playoff spot. With the team going 5-0-1 in their last six games and 6-3-1 in their last 10, Timonen's return to the ice and the dressing room — where he's provided a significantly valuable presence throughout his time in Philadelphia — could help push the Flyers to their second-consecutive playoff berth.
There's also the possibility of moving Timonen, as hard as that may seem. Timonen's veteran presence and relative lack of fatigue could be ideal for any Stanley Cup-contending team — particularly Nashville, under ex-coach Peter Laviolette — though his age (39) and $3.5 million cap hit won't be the easiest to move. Additionally, an obstacle there would be sample size — if Timonen returns in the three-game span between Feb. 17 and Feb. 21, he would have a maximum of seven games to establish what he could do. Even if it's not in the Orange and Black, it would still be sentimental to see Timonen hoist the Cup — providing the ultimate way to leave the game with his skates on.
Timonen could also finish this season and return next year, in a mentorship capacity for younger defensemen. Shayne Gostisbehere and Samuel Morin are two early favorites to make the big club out of next season's training camp, while Robert Hagg and Travis Sanheim are furthering their respective developments. All of those prospects could benefit under one of the best defensemen in Flyers history, assuming the chronic clot in his leg allows him to play.
A mentor role is something that he wouldn't necessarily have to count against the salary cap for though, as he could assist Kjell Samuelsson and John Riley in player development — similar to what Ian Laperriere did upon his retirement in 2012.
Of course, Timonen hasn't seen the ice in game action since the Flyers' Game 7 loss to the New York Rangers in last year's Eastern Conference quarterfinal. Hopefully, his return to game action won't end in as-heartbreaking fashion.
Timonen's return to the ice presents a wide variety of possibilities for the Flyers. How they move forward presents another interesting dilemma, in a season that's been full of interesting dilemmas.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
