Cal Pickard expected to make his Flyers debut Wednesday

Cal Pickard has had only one full day of practice with the Flyers since they plucked him off waivers from Toronto, but that shouldn't prevent him from making his debut with his new team Wednesday in Ottawa.

After Tuesday's morning skate, coach Dave Hakstol wouldn't name Wednesday's starter, but he hinted it would be Pickard. Brian Elliott started the Flyers' first three games, including Tuesday's home opener against San Jose.

"He's embedded into the dressing room, in and among the guys. He's had a couple good work days," said Hakstol, who was including time at the much-shorter morning skates. "So if I decide to go with him, yeah, he'll be ready."

At Tuesday's morning skate, Pickard, who was not available to the media, wore a helmet that included a painting of Gritty, the new Flyers mascot.

Pickard, 26, has a 2.78 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in parts of four NHL seasons with Colorado and Toronto. He spent most of last season with the AHL's Toronto Marlies, making just one appearance with the Maple Leafs.

Jordan Weal, a natural center who replaced injured left winger James van Riemsdyk in Tuesday's lineup, figures to take some faceoffs on his line, which is centered by rookie Mikhail "Misha" Vorobyev. "That's a positive, having two guys that are able to take draws, a righty and a lefty," Hakstol said.

Vorobyev played well in his first two games but struggled in the faceoff circle, winning just 21.4 percent of his draws. He became the 16th player in Flyers history to collect at least a point in each of his first two games.

Hakstol last week said the Flyers would have only two alternate captains this season, but he apparently changed his mind. Wayne Simmonds and Andrew MacDonald will remain alternates, but Sean Couturier has been added as an alternate for home games. MacDonald will wear the "A" for road games.

Last year, MacDonald and Val Filppula, who has two goals in his first three games with the Islanders this season, shared an alternate role.

On Tuesday, captain Claude Giroux tied Rick MacLeish and Bob Kelly for sixth on the all-time franchise list for games played (741). Up next: Joe Watson at 746 games. … In the first two games, Ivan Provorov led the Flyers with an average ice time of 25 minutes, 27 seconds. Sean Couturier (21:45) led the forwards.