As expected, Carter Hart will use the NHL's All-Star break to get some work in at the AHL level.
The Flyers on Thursday loaned Hart to the Phantoms and, in turn, recalled Anthony Stolarz from his conditioning stint in Lehigh Valley.
The Flyers are looking to keep Hart fresh and view this as an opportunity most teams aren't afforded since the 20-year-old rookie is waivers exempt.
"We are happy with the progress Anthony has made in his rehab and two recent games in Lehigh Valley," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said in a release by the team. "With a full week off the ice due to the NHL bye week and All-Star breaks, we would like Carter to continue getting ice time and game action with the Phantoms."
The Phantoms are home Friday as they host Laval and hit the road for a game in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Saturday. Expect Hart to start one of those games before rejoining the Flyers for Monday's game against Winnipeg at the Wells Fargo Center.
While Hart can be shuttled back and forth between the Flyers and the Phantoms, the same can't be said for Stolarz, who was able to play with Lehigh Valley as part of his conditioning stint.
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Ideally, the organization would like both Hart and Stolarz to be playing and not sitting, but Stolarz would have to clear waivers again in order to be sent back down to the AHL.
A safer route would be to keep Stolarz with the Flyers along with Hart, and then place Mike McKenna on waivers and send him down to the Phantoms if he clears.
Another wrinkle in the Flyers' never-ending, yearlong goaltending saga is how will this play out once Brian Elliott receives medical clearance to resume practice and is activated from injured reserve?
Elliott's expected return is early-to-mid February.
"There's so much to be factored in here," Flyers interim head coach Scott Gordon said recently. "With Stolie if he plays, is he healthy? Where's Brian Elliott at? There's all kinds of stuff that has to factor into the final decision on that."
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