Andrew MacDonald and his $5 million cap hit have been toiling away in the AHL for the entirety of the 2015-16 season so far. He’ll get his first chance at reclaiming his NHL spot this week as the Flyers have recalled MacDonald from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
MacDonald was the recipient of a highly criticized contract from the Flyers that has him on contract for another four years at a $5 million cap hit. When they sent him to the AHL the team only got $950,000 in cap relief from the move. It’s been a costly blunder for the team, who will likely buy out the rest of his contract in the summer.
The 29-year-old’s recall is a chance to prove he’s still got value to the team though, even if he’s performing below his contract.
Some have speculated that MacDonald’s recall could see him paired with rookie Shayne Gostisbehere, who has been thriving since being recalled from the AHL. The two were partners in the AHL and MacDonald can serve as a mentor to the developing defenseman.
That’s still a possibility, though MacDonald was paired with Michael Del Zotto in his first practice back with the team.
On the team’s blue line Mark Streit remains on IR, though he’s approaching a return, but there’s speculation that Luke Schenn may be headed to IR to clear space for MacDonald’s recall. Schenn is dealing with a lower-body injury after taking an awkward fall when he was hit by Columbus’s Michael Chaput over the weekend.
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