UPDATES 12:15 PM EDT
* * The Flyers have signed goaltender Steve Mason to a one-year, $1.5 million contract extension. There was no way the Flyers (or Blue Jackets) were going to tender a restricted free agent qualifying offer to Mason at his current salary, and he was going to have to take a paycut wherever he went. The goalie is trying to re-establish himself as a potential NHL starting goalie, and the one-year deal at the cap-friendly salary makes sure salary is not an obstacle next year while leaving the door open for a raise in his next contract if he has a strong season next year.
* Bad news on the Nicklas Grossmann front. The Flyers have finally revealed that his upper body injury is a concussion, and he had a setback last week. He did NOT practice today and his recovery timetable is now back to being up in the air.
* In better news, Danny Briere has made progress with his concussion symptoms. However, he is not 100 percent symptom-free as of yet, either.
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ORIGINAL BLOG 10:22 AM
Here are some quick hits for your Monday morning:
* If all goes well, the Flyer hope to have Nicklas Grossmann back in the lineup tomorrow night in Long Island. Grossmann, who led all defensemen in blocked shots and was in the top five in hits by a defenseman at the time he suffered an upper body injury, has missed the last eight games. Today's practice will be an important one for the big Swede. Last week, he appeared at practice but was not yet cleared for contact. Grossmann has been one of the three most consistently reliable Flyers defensemen this season. His return will likely mean that one of Oliver Lauridsen or Erik Gustafsson will be returned to the Phantoms.
* Best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to checking line prospect Eric Wellwood. The young forward's tough 2012-13 season came to a frightening end in the second period of the Phantoms 4-1 loss to Bridgeport yesterday. During an Adirondack penalty kill, Wellwood fell into the boards, severely cutting himself with his own skate just above the inside of his right ankle. Without waiting for the referee to whistle a stoppage of play, Phantoms trainer Greg Lowden rushed out onto the ice to assist Wellwood. The player underwent surgery last night to assess and repair the vascular damage. He is scheduled to undergo another procedure today to repair damaged tendons.
* Nick Cousins dressed for the Phantoms in yesterday's game against Bridgeport. He had one shot on goal and did not record a point.
* Yesterday, the Flyers made it official that they have signed defenseman Mark Alt to an entry-level contract. Alt will leave the University of Minnesota after three seasons and join the Phantoms. Originally selected by Carolina in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2010 Entry Draft, the 21-year-old Alt is a defensive defenseman with above-average size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) and mobility. The Flyers acquired Alt's rights in the deal that sent Brian Boucher back to Philadelphia on Jan. 13.
* Goaltender Anthony Stolarz, the Flyers' second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, recorded his first OHL playoff shutout yesterday. Stolarz turned back 34 saves in the London Knights' 2-0 win over the Kitchener Rangers yesterday. London leads the series two games to none.
* Center Scott Laughton, the Flyers' first round pick in the 2012 Draft, has been suspended by the OHL for a checking-from-behind incident in Game 2 of the Oshawa Generals' playoff series with the Barrie Colts. Laughton was ejected from the game for drilling Barrie right wing Zach Hall from behind, leaving him bleeding and dazed. Laughton, who served a 10-game suspension earlier this season and later spent a five-game stint with the Flyers at the start of the 2013 season, has probably played his last game of junior hockey. After losing 4-0 yesterday, Oshawa trails 3-0 in the series.
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