Flyers Talk: Hart’s Leave of Absence, Team’s Losing Streak

The Flyers followed up the five-game winning streak with three straight losses, falling in the final three games of a four-game homestand.

On this week's episode of Flyers Talk with 97.3 ESPN Flyers Insider Kevin Durso, Brianna Barretta and Kevin sit down to talk about the recent struggles, what it means for the team, and address Carter Hart's indefinite leave of absence from the team.

First, we break down the results over the weekend, facing top talent against Colorado and Tampa Bay. During that time, Bobby Brink was out of the lineup and eventually sent down to the AHL, while the Flyers lineup continues to roll 11 forwards and seven defensemen. What impact will this have on Brink and how could the Flyers fare with this lineup?

While the Flyers penalty kill has been ranked near the top of the league for several weeks, top-talented power plays like Colorado and Tampa Bay were able to strike regularly, turning some attention on the number of penalties the team has taken lately. How have penalties impacted the performance of the team and certain players in particular?

We also address the news of Carter Hart taking a leave of absence. While there is not much to discuss on Hart specifically other than the information that is already available, this news does mean that Sam Ersson becomes the primary goaltender and Cal Petersen was called up to serve as backup. How does this change the goaltending picture and can Ersson take over as a top netminder?

Finally, the Flyers take on the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night, with playoff implications in play with Detroit holding a wildcard spot. What can be expected from this game?

Join Brianna and Kevin for this latest episode of Flyers talk, which you can watch below:

Stay tuned next week for another new episode on our YouTube page as well as right here on 973espn.com and the FREE mobile app.

Kevin Durso is Flyers insider for 97.3 ESPN. Follow him on social media @Kevin_Durso.