While the news the last few days has been Porter Martone ending his career at Michigan State, signing his entry-level deal with the Flyers, and making his debut tonight against Washington, Philadelphia head coach Rick Tocchet might have let it slip that currently injured winger Tyson Foerster is on the way. It would be a massive boost for this team, if true.

If his reply Tuesday morning was any indication, it appears that Foerster will be getting back to the lineup soon. Simply put, it sounds like it’s not a question of if, but when — if we want to read into what the head coach is saying before a crucial game for the playoff push.

Could Tyson Foerster make his return to Flyers this season?

Tocchet was answering a question about Martone’s inclusion on the power play and how it might boost the Flyers effectiveness in these remaining nine games. While talking about how Martone can “look people off” and his deception being a key, Tocchet also added the following: “…and then when Tyson gets back, he’s another power play guy, so it’s kind of exciting to have a couple of guys like that.”

A quick follow-up question regarding Foerster, trying to clarify if the Flyers coach truly meant “when” and not “if” Foerster is back, caught Tocchet slightly off-guard.

“If, when, yeah, yeah exactly,” Tocchet said with a laugh, realizing he might have revealed what was on the horizon. “Oh s–t, I triggered something now. Yeah when he comes back, it’s a tool, he’s another tool for us.”

Lineup updates for #PHIvsWSH:

• Dan Vladar gets the start in net.
• Forward Porter Martone makes his NHL Debut. Alex Bump comes out of the lineup.

Hear from head coach Rick Tocchet ahead of tonight’s matchup. pic.twitter.com/q8tkMGKGZX

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 31, 2026

Foerster suffered an upper-body injury, most likely something with his arm or shoulder, as he tried to rip a one-timer during a Dec. 1 game against the Penguins and immediately went to the ice in pain. His initial timeline was 2-3 months but after undergoing surgery before the end of last year, it was confirmed by almost everyone that his season was over and he will be ready for training camp in the fall.

But, to not feel alienated during recovery, he has been hanging around the Flyers for the last month or two. Then he returned to the ice wearing a non-contact jersey during practice, and even more recently, shed the non-contact jersey for a regular one as part of team practice. He’s still very much recovering, but healthy enough to not be treated with extreme caution around morning skates (which are not very physical anyways).

If it was up to Foerster, he might have been now three or four games into his return. But until he’s 100 per cent ready to go, the Flyers are going to have him on the sidelines. However, whether Tocchet just misspoke accidentally, or said what a lot of media and fans were thinking, it seems that there is certainly a possibility that Foerster will be in the lineup at some point much sooner than later.

However the bigger question now might be where exactly Foerster would fit into the lineup given Martone’s addition. It’s not that the Flyers wouldn’t find a spot for a sniper of his quality, especially considering the massive back-to-back games against Detroit on Thursday and the Islanders on Friday.

Where would Foerster fit in the lineup?

Foerster was with Bobby Brink and Noah Cates for the longest time to form one of the best trios the Flyers have had in some time in a play-driving sense. But Brink is gone, and Cates has found some synergy with Matvei Michkov. The addition of Foerster would certain beef up what is slowly becoming one of the deepest teams (on the wing) in the Eastern Conference.

A line of Foerster, Noah Cates, and Matvei Michkov as a middle-six combination would be a great experiment down the stretch. A play-maker like Michkov could certainly work well off the shoot-first, sniper mentality Foerster provides, and both Foerster and Michkov have chemistry playing with Cates. On paper it sounds like a great idea. We’ll see how it translates on the ice.

As far as the power play, having Foerster on one unit and Martone on another unit is a luxury the Flyers never even fathomed three weeks ago. Especially since both seem to fit the mold of a trigger man off the left side as a one-timer option.

But here we are, with Martone ready to go and Foerster, if Tocchet’s reply is anything to go by, also set. One should have a positive effect on the Flyers power play. Should both players hit the ground running with the man advantage, all of a sudden Philadelphia’s power play may no longer be a horror show but one with a tremendously happy ending.

Either way, the Flyers have made no official announcement as to Foerster’s return, obviously. Tocchet’s reply might be telling, especially as he didn’t vehemently reject the notion Foerster is ready. In the end, when Tyson Foerster’s possible return this week turns out to be the second-biggest story in Flyersland, you know it’s been a hell of a week. And it’s only Tuesday!