VandeVelde skated in place of Michael Raffl (lower body) on the top line at Wednesday's practice, Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Flyers announced after practice that Raffl would miss the next six weeks with the injury, creating an opportunity for either VandeVelde or another player to enjoy a cushy role next to Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. With three points in eight games while playing primarily on the fourth line, VandeVelde hardly profiles as an ideal option to replace Raffl, so it seems doubtful that he'll end up sticking around on the top trio for the full duration of the winger's absence. Still, VandeVelde could make for a worthy add on speculation in the short-term if he ends up taking advantage of the top-line chance.