VOORHEES, N.J. – Brayden Schenn had played in 244 out of a possible 246 regular season games since the 2013-14 season.
He doesn’t like watching his teammates play without him, so as you can imagine, this three-game suspension was a bit of a drag for him.
“It felt like a long road trip,” Schenn said.
With his punishment from the charging penalty he had on T.J. Oshie during the first round in April behind him, Schenn is eager to get back on the ice. He was one of four players out on the ice in Voorhees on Wednesday, along with Radko Gudas, Nick Cousins and Michal Neuvirth.
He’ll assume his spot on the top line playing left wing alongside Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds, although head coach Dave Hakstol avoided talking about lines following the optional skate.
That being said, the second-year coach did express his delight in having Schenn back.
“He’s got to be ready to go,” Hakstol said. “I know he’s champing at the bit. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s been a pretty productive player for our team in the role that he’s played, not just through preseason but through the stretch last year. He’s going to be an important player for us.”
Schenn is coming off his best season to date, setting career highs in goals (26), assists (33) and points (59). He has improved every season since joining the Flyers, going from 26 points in year one to 41 and then 47 before last year.
He hopes the 2016-17 season is yet another progression for him as he sets his sight on topping 60 points.
“I’ll do everything in my power to,” Schenn said. “I continue to feel confident and get better after year.”
Schenn mentioned how he wants to run with the opportunity he’s been given to start on the top line with two great players in Giroux and Simmonds. There may be a slight adjustment for him, though. He hasn’t played since the second to last preseason game, so there’s an expected refining phase on Thursday. He says it may take “a half a period or a period” to get his timing back.
In the overall picture, Schenn returns at the right time. The Flyers will be without Michael Raffl for 10 to 14 days. Raffl was filling in for Schenn on the top line and was expected to slot into the third line upon his arrival.
General manager Ron Hextall is just happy that his top six is altogether and that the rest of the lineup is beginning to shape.
“Brayden coming back is going to big for us,” Hextall said. “He’s a physical presence, he scores goals, he’s good on the power play. I see Brayden making a big impact. It’s nice to get your lines sort of as [Hakstol] sees them.”
