Flyers make some cuts, dump veteran of 600+ NHL games

In case you missed the news earlier this week, the Philadelphia Flyers under head coach John Tortorella made some cuts to their preseason roster sending three players to the CHL and releasing two tryout contract players entirely. They also added veteran AHL forward Cal O'Reilly on a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

From the Flyers' press release announcement:

The Philadelphia Flyers announced today the club has reduced training camp by five players and added F Cal O'Reilly on a professional try-out (PTO), according to President of Hockey Operations & General Manager, Chuck Fletcher.

The Flyers have released forwards Mikael Huchette and Tyler Savard from their amateur try-out contracts (ATO). Forward Alexis Gendron was sent to Blainville-Boisbriand of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, defenseman Ethan Samson was sent to Prince George of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and defenseman Brian Zanetti was sent to Peterborough of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). O'Reilly will join camp on a PTO beginning Tuesday, Sept. 27. 

Just today though the team has reportedly cut veteran forward Antoine Roussel from his own PTO.

This news comes courtesy of ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, check it out:

The 32 year old Roussel seemed like he'd be a perfect fit for the Flyers under Tortorella, but he apparently failed to impress the notoriously hard to impress coach. Roussel managed just four goals and eight points in 53 games with the Arizona Coyotes last season and has really seen his career go off the rails the past two years. He's just three years removed from a career best 31 points in 65 games with the Vancouver Canucks int he 2018-19 season, but has put up just 25 points in three combined seasons since. Ouch. 

He was, of course, part of the 2021 blockbuster deal between the Canucks and the Coyotes that saw the Canucks dump Roussel's and Loui Eriksson's contracts to the Coyotes in exchange for Oliver Ekman Larsson and Conor Garland. Without a contract for this upcoming season though, Roussel had to take what he could get and accepted a PTO with the rebuilding Flyers. Unable to crack that roster it's unclear what his future looks like in the NHL.