Carter on standby for Olympics thanks to Duck

NEWARK, N.J. - Jeff Carter received a phone call yesterday very similar to the one teammates Mike Richards and Chris Pronger received from Team Canada on Dec. 30.

He was told to pack his bags and fly to Vancouver on Sunday, after the Flyers finish their pre-Olympic schedule in Montreal on Saturday night.

The only difference is that Carter doesn't know if he will be needed just yet.

Carter was phoned by Team Canada general manager Steve Yzerman to notify him that he will be added to the roster if Anaheim's Ryan Getzlaf is unable to play.

Getzlaf sustained an ankle injury Monday. For now, Getzlaf and the Ducks are calling it an ankle sprain and not a high ankle sprain - which means it could be a quicker recovery.

"The test showed no significant ligament or muscle tears, and Getzlaf is day-to-day," the Ducks' statement said.

Final rosters are due Monday upon each team's arrival at the Olympic Village. Once players are moved into the Village on Monday, changes cannot be made - regardless of injuries during the tournament.

Getzlaf is planning to test the ankle in the Ducks' final two games this weekend, lessening Carter's chances of being added to the roster.

"All signs are pointing to things progressing to the way we want it to," Getzlaf said. "We have our fingers crossed and hopefully things will keep going the same way and we don't have any setbacks."

Carter likely will not know his fate until Sunday in Vancouver. Yzerman said he will monitor Getzlaf's injury daily until then.

Almost 72 hours after the initial MRI was conducted on Flyers goaltender Ray Emery's hip on Monday morning, the Flyers still don't have any answers.

Or, if they do, they aren't sharing them.

The Daily News, citing a source, reported Tuesday that Emery could have a torn labrum that could require surgery. Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren did not rule that out.

Yesterday, Holmgren released the same statement he did on Wednesday - which is to say he said nothing at all.

"We are still awaiting word for MRI results for Ray Emery," Holmgren said through a team spokesman.

Holmgren did not join the team on its trip in Newark.

Unlike Tuesday, Emery practiced yesterday - during the Flyers' morning skate at the Prudential Center - for about an hour.

For the second day in a row, Emery deferred all questions about his injury status to Holmgren.

Emery did not take part in pregame warmups and Brian Boucher backed up starter Michael Leighton for the fourth consecutive game. *