Erik Gustafsson (knee) is projected to return in a week to 10 days. Gustafsson has already missed five straight games due to the injury. He has two goals and five assists in 20 games this season.

Erik Gustafsson is expected to miss the next two weeks due to a sprained knee. Philadelphis is scheduled to play in six contests over that span. Gustafsson has two goals and seven points in 20 games in 2013-14.

Erik Gustafsson might play Thursday after spending seven games in the press box. Philadelphia will want to shake things up after its 7-2 loss to Chicago on Wednesday. Gustafsson has a goal and five points in 15 games this season.

Erik Gustafsson notched a goal for Philadelphia, but it came up way short in its 5-2 loss to Detroit on Saturday night Coach Craig Berube was quoted recently as saying he didn't know when the young defenseman would get into a game, but he sure fooled us as Gustafsson was in there Saturday night. Perhaps this performance (he had an even outing, with four shots in 17:26). Tye McGinn scored the other goal for the Flyers. Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek had the assists.

It's unclear when Erik Gustafsson will return to the Flyers' lineup. The 24-year-old has been a healthy scratch in all five games so far. He played in 27 games and averaged more than 20 games last season. Flyers coach Craig Berube said he had no answer for when the defenseman would play.

Erik Gustafsson isn't likely to be assigned to the minors. "He would have to clear waivers," GM Paul Holmgren said. "That would be pretty risky. He's a young player that we really like." Philadelphia also has Kimmo Timonen, Mark Streit, Luke Schenn, Braydon Coburn, Andrej Meszaros, Nick Grossmann, Bruno Gervais and camp invitee Hal Gill aiming for spots in the starting lineup. A trade could be a possibility to open up a position for Gustafsson.

Erik Gustafsson is among a group of nine defensemen on one-way contracts who are competing for spots on Philadelphia's blueline. "I try not to think about what the roster is going to be like and just focus on my part," Gustafsson said earlier in the week. "I'm trying to do my best and show them I deserve regular minutes." He had some good moments (an assist and some scoring chances) and some bad ones (a turnover which led to shorthanded goal) in Sunday's pre-season loss to Toronto.

Mark Streit believes he is a youthful 35 years old. That is an age in which defensemen really start to see their game decline. However, being that he has only played seven seasons in the United States, as he spent the time before that in Switzerland, Streit thinks his body is fresher. "There is a big difference when you are 35 and have played 15 years [versus] playing eight," Streit said, including the one year he missed with the shoulder injury. "The wear and tear is big in the NHL. I feel great, feel healthy," Streit said. "I had one unfortunate season with Islanders when I was hurt the whole year, but other than that, I played almost all games every year. I'm in good shape. I want to play a long time. I can help this team." The Flyers hope he provides an offensive spark from their blueline.

Erik Gustafsson has agreed to a one-year/$1 million contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. Gustafsson had three goals and eight points in 27 games with the Flyers last season. The Flyers are over the cap and have eight blueliners guaranteed a cap hit of $1 million or more next season. With that in mind, it seems almost certain that at least one of their blueliners will be moved before the summer is over.

Erik Gustafsson was among four Philadelphia Flyers who received a qualifying offer from the team. The Flyers also retained the negotiation rights to restricted free agents Oliver Lauridsen, Eric Wellwood and Brandon Manning.