VOORHEES, N.J. – He wanted to be there in the worst way but at least there’s a decent consolation prize.
Travis Konecny, who some thought had a shot at Team Canada for the Milan Cortina Olympics but didn’t make it, was able to take a physical and mental break during the Olympics pause to get things back together again.
Now the Flyers’ second-leading scorer is back on the ice with his teammates as they gear up for the last 26 games of the season.
He’s trying to shake off the aftereffects of two recent injuries through which he’s had to battle. The 11-day break certainly didn’t hurt.
Philadelphia sits eight points out of a playoff spot with 26 games to play. If the Flyers are to end a five-year postseason drought, they need Konecny’s A-game the rest of the way.
As for not making his first Olympics, Konecny said it was a bit of a letdown when Team Canada’s roster was announced on Dec. 31 and he wasn’t on it.
“For sure,” he said after Wednesday’s practice. “I knew going into the year that it wasn’t (certain) – some guys had it locked in. Then there was a group of us that had to make it again. I knew I was on that list.
“It was definitely on my mind. I wanted to be there. The Olympics don’t come around that often.”
Konecny has registered 37 points in his last 32 games and has taken more of a leadership role as this season has progressed.
With improved health, that could wind up being the case.
After a slow start, he’s been coming on strong of late. At one point he recorded the Flyers’ only three goals of a game against Buffalo.
“I think I was gripping it (the stick, a sign of too much nervous energy) a little bit at the start of the season,” Konecny said. “Overthinking other stuff. I’ve just been putting my head down, trying to help the team the best I can. The linemates I’ve had (including center Christian Dvorak) have all been playing great. Sometimes you get those points when you just dish it to someone who’s hot. Overall, I don’t know, just trying to work hard.”
Konecny is a proven 30-goal scorer and that’s the kind of offense the Flyers will need down the stretch.
“I had a good break,” he said. “Had a chance to reset. Get my mind in a different spot. Realized where we’re at as a team. What we need to do finishing the season here. For me, just getting to the top of my game. Where I need to be to help our team.”
Konecny, now in his ninth year, has only been to the playoffs twice. How frustrating is that?
“I think about it everyday,” he said. “I look at it (the standings) everyday. I mean, I think it’s disappointing every year. We’ve got to this point. Everyone’s competitive, everyone wants to compete in the big game. When you watch the playoffs every year, it’s incredible. You get nervous. You watch overtime. You want to play in those games.
“It’s not going to be the end of the world if it didn’t happen. But I know this team we’re building, what we have planned, a playoff team. I’m not worried about that. I know there’s belief in this locker room. Hopefully it happens. We’re going to do everything we can to get there. If it doesn’t, we’ll reevaluate and get better in the summer.”
Assistant coach Todd Reirden, who is running the team in coach Rick Tocchet’s absence (he’s an assistant on Team Canada’s Olympic bench), said Konecny hasn’t missed a beat during these first couple practices.
“I was really impressed, with this being my first season here and dealing with him,” Reirden said. “But going through that time, not playing at a hundred percent and to be able to have the success he’s had, was something that really impressed me.
“He had a huge impact on our team to be able to gather some points here (four of a possible six points in three games) before the break. Major credit to him for battling through. Hopefully this time away allowed him to get back to a hundred percent.”
>Close call for Canada
Speaking of Team Canada, it took all the talented crew could muster to get past Czechia, 4-3, in overtime on Wednesday. There were a lot of sighs of relief in the Flyers’ locker room after Canada avoided disaster.
Defenseman Cam York, a California native, said he was pulling for backline partner Travis Sanheim, a native of Manitoba, on the Canada squad.
However, if it comes down to a Canada-USA final. . .
“I’m still rooting for the Americans,” he said with a grin.
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