VOORHEES – Being last one into training camp always means there’s some catching up to do.
And that’s what Travis Konecny did on Wednesday at the Skate Zone.
The Flyers had the day off but Konecny, who agreed to a new six-year, $33-million contract on Monday, certainly did not.
He was put through a variety of demanding drills by the coaching staff as he attempts to make up for lost time.
“Yeah, it was a hard skate,’’ the 22-year-old right wing acknowledged. “There were lot more reps (than usual). But it kind of gives you an opportunity to work on the things that the guys have been working on so you can catch up a little bit.’’
When Ivan Provorov inked a $40.5-million contract last Friday just before camp opened, it left Konecny as the only player not in the fold.
No doubt he was getting a little anxious.
“It feels great to be back,’’ he said. “It’s always hard when your teammates are here and you’re excited to be around them. Especially meeting the new coaching staff. So it feels great to be back and catching up on things.
“I wasn’t worried that it was going to be extended for a long period of time. I knew that both sides, (general manager) Chuck (Fletcher) and I, wanted this done as soon as possible so that I could get back into the swing of things and kind of go through the same process that everyone else is going through at camp. I think we did a pretty good job of me missing only the first two days.’’
Konecny is one of the quicker players on the team and that should fit well into new coach Alain Vigneault’s up-tempo style.
Does Konecny think he can get up to speed in time to play in one of the upcoming exhibition games?
“That’s hard to say,’’ he said. “I’m kind of going through the process as if I was here at the start of training camp. I’m not going to play until it’s the proper time for me to play in an exhibition game.’’
Entering his fourth season, Konecny is coming off back-to-back 24-goal campaigns.
That said, he might be battling to crack the top two lines this season.
“Right now I’m more or less worried about getting systems down and getting into the swing of things,’’ the London, Ont. native said. “It’s about the speed and the tempo of the game.’’
Konecny is a plus-11 over his first three seasons with the Flyers and has missed only one game the past two years.
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The Flyers announced on Wednesday they have sent four players back to their junior teams and released four players from their amateur tryouts.
Returning to their junior teams were defensemen Egor Zamula (Calgary, WHL), Mason Millman (Saginaw, OHL) and Wyatte Wylie (Everett, WHL), plus right wing Egor Serdyuk (Victoriaville, QMJHL).
The players released from their amateur tryouts were: Max Golod (left wing, Erie, OHL), Ben McCartney (left wing, Brandon, WHL), Sean Comrie (defenseman, Kelowna, WHL) and Mike Cyr (left wing, Moncton, QMJHL).
The Flyers training camp roster is now at 54 players.
Philadelphia looks for its first preseason win when it takes on the visiting Boston Bruins on Thursday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers are coming off back-to-back losses to the New York Islanders to stand at 0-2.
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