Column: Lyubimov, Read biggest beneficiaries with Del Zotto injury

I’m not a big salary cap guy. I’d rather analyze how and why a player is succeeding (or not) or write a 2,000-word feature on what Player A does on the ice that goes under the radar.

Figuring out finances isn’t what I like to do.

Neither does Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol.

“There’s a lot of different scenarios,” Hakstol said after Friday’s practice. “Honestly, [figuring out our roster] that hasn’t been my focus this morning.

“It’s going to be tough, guys have had real good camps. Guys are going to make those decisions hard to make. That’s the way you want it.”

With the news of Michael Del Zotto hitting the shelf for four-to-five weeks with a lower-body injury on the heels of both Brandon Manning and Scott Laughton being ruled out, the salary cap situation has come to the forefront in a hurry.

Yesterday, general manager Ron Hextall alluded to himself having to make a move he wouldn’t want to make. That could’ve been sending Travis Konecny back to juniors (doubtful), but it also could have been referencing someone like Roman Lyubimov or Matt Read.

Well, the latter two aren’t in the clear just yet but it appears with Del Zotto destined for the LTIR designation, that both Lyubimov and Read will find a place on this roster come Tuesday.

With Brayden Schenn’s three-game suspension serving as a nagging thorn in the side of management, Hakstol said it wouldn’t be ideal to head on the west coast trip to open the season without an extra forward.

By this account, here’s how I foresee the opening night roster shaping up on Friday night in Los Angeles:

1. Raffl-Giroux-Simmonds
2. Konecny-Couturier-Voracek
3. Cousins-Bellemare-Weise
4. Read-Gordon-Lyubimov

Extra: Weal

Suspension: Schenn

Defensive pairings:

1. MacDonald-Gostisbehere
2. Provorov-Streit
3. Gudas-Schultz

Extra: Manning

Goalies: Mason-Neuvirth

That means Chris VandeVelde is the projected cut in this prediction. Could it be Jordan Weal? Or Matt Read? Sure, but those two offer a little more than VandeVelde does with Weal being able to play a top six role if need be and Read providing more to the bottom six than VandeVelde.