Konecny takes the ice, Atkinson stays off with lower-body injury

Konecny takes the ice, Atkinson stays off with lower-body injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VOORHEES, N.J. — After not skating Sunday and Monday, Travis Konecny was back in practice Wednesday at Flyers training camp.

The club's leading scorer last season missed two straight days of camp because he was "just banged up a little bit," John Tortorella said Sunday.

Konecny participated with one of the non-game groups Wednesday. He won't play in the team's second preseason game against the Islanders at UBS Arena (7 p.m. ET). After tonight's matchup, the Flyers have four exhibition games remaining. Konecny is available to play whenever the Flyers want to put him in the lineup.

"Full skate today," the 26-year-old said, "so whenever they're ready to, yup."

Konecny declined to specify if the injury was to his upper or lower body but said he's "completely fine, it's all good."

Despite missing 22 games last season with two separate injuries (right hand; upper body), Konecny delivered a career year by putting up 31 goals and 61 points over 60 games. In Year 1 under Tortorella, Konecny became an all-situation player as he was tasked with killing penalties. He recorded six shorthanded points (three goals, three assists), the fifth most in the NHL.

He's not treating this camp any different than ones in the past.

"You still have to earn your spots," Konecny said. "You have to earn the last minute of the game when you’re up and when you’re down. You've got to earn those ice times — PK, power play, all that stuff. I still look at it as an opportunity to come in and work hard every day. It’s nice having a coach like Torts because you know you’re never just given a spot. No matter what happened last year, you've got to come in and do it all over again."

In other health matters, Cam Atkinson did not practice with either of the two groups Wednesday. The 34-year-old winger was scratched from the Flyers' preseason opener, a 6-0 loss Monday to the Devils, because of soreness with a lower-body injury.

"He was in the gym today, that's the place I saw him," AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley head coach Ian Laperriere said Wednesday. "He walked fine, he had a big smile on his face and that's all I can go about. Personally, I don't think it's anything major."

The Flyers had a much-needed day off Tuesday. Cam York, who played a game-high 22:17 minutes Monday and blocked three shots, did not practice Wednesday.

Laperriere said the reason for York's absence was "nothing major."

The Flyers' training camp roster is at 52 players. The club sent 2023 draft picks Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey and Carter Sotheran back to their junior clubs Tuesday and released Jonathan Fauchon and Sam Sedley from their camp invites.

Subscribe anywhere you get your podcasts: 
Apple Podcasts | Youtube Music | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | RSS | Watch on YouTube