Ryan Ellis' return to game action remains unknown

Ryan Ellis' debut season with the Philadelphia Flyers did not go how anyone had wished, and the nightmare may not be over just yet.

Last July, the Flyers acquired Ellis from the Nashville Predators, hoping that he could come in and provide a boost to their top four while also quarterbacking their power play. It seemed a safe bet given the fact that the now 31-year-old had been a steady two-way rearguard for a number of seasons for the Preds, but that skill has not yet been on display with the Flyers due to injury.

In 2021-22, Ellis suited up for just four games due to a pelvic injury. While it was a very limited sample size, he appeared to mesh well with the Flyers, recording a goal and five points over those four outings. That slight showing had many hoping he could have a big 2022-23 campaign, but according to Chuck Fletcher, he may not even be healthy enough to begin the season.

«He's continuing to progress.» Fletcher said. «He's certainly improved since the end of the season. He's certainly further along now than he was a month or two months ago. In saying that, the bulk of his rehab is still ahead of him. He's starting to intensify his off-ice workouts. Again, it's going well, but there are several more steps before he gets on the ice. So it's difficult, if not impossible, to predict where he'll be in two or three months. The last month has been encouraging, but there's still more work to do.»

That isn't a very comforting statement for Flyers fans. While Fletcher certainly didn't admit to it, it sounds as though Ellis may indeed still be sidelined once the 2022-23 season begins. If that is the case, he may struggle upon his eventual return given all the time he has missed. Hopefully he is able to recover quicker than anticipated, but as of right now this situation doesn't sound very promising.

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