With Kimmo Timonen out indefinitely, Flyers ink Del Zotto

Kimmo Timonen has been a key defensive leader for the Flyers for seven seasons. Credit: Getty Images

The Flyers have stockpiled some incredible young defensive talent, but it looks like their defense in 2014-15 will take a big hit.

General Manager Ron Hextall announced Tuesday that veteran Kimmo Timonen is expected to be released from a hospital in Finland sometime Wednesday after receiving treatment for multiple blood clots in both his lungs and his lower leg earlier this week.

“Kimmo was with his buddy and had pain in his calf for three days and thought he had a pulled a calf muscle,” Hextall told CSNPhilly.com. “They did some type of evaluation and found the blood clots.”

Hextall went on to explain that he was relieved that the 39-year-old was recovering well and that he got a text from him.

The team says Timonen will be sidelined indefinitely.

Hextall said he learned of the situation himself Monday and just a day later, the team announced it had signed former Rangers defender Michael Del Zotto to a one-year deal.

The team gets younger with the signing — Del Zotto is just 24-years-old.

He was a former first-round pick (No. 20 overall in 2008) and scored 37 points his rookie year in 2011-12. The Flyers still could make another move.

“We believe it could be a long-term situation and will continue to evaluate what is out there,” Hextall told CSN. “If we feel we need to make a move we will, and I would suspect there’s a good chance we will.”

It is believed that young prospects Shayne Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg and Samuel Morin are still a little ways off from cracking the Flyers’ roster.

“I’ve said this a few times, I don’t want to put a kid into a situation who is not ready for it,” Hextall said. “The way to protect yourself is to add a veteran if possible.”

Evan Macy