The Flyers got a welcome sign on Nikita Grebenkin this week, and it points toward a normal start to training camp rather than a lingering summer setback.
According to PHLY’s Charlie O’Connor, the restricted free agent forward is trending toward being ready for a full go when camp opens in two months. That matters because Grebenkin hasn’t appeared in a game since Philadelphia’s 4-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on March 21.
The injury situation around Grebenkin has been relatively quiet from the start. He was listed with an upper-body injury, and there were never any announced surgeries. He also never showed up publicly with a cast or sling, which lined up with the idea that this was not a major long-term issue.
Flyers general manager Danny Briere recently offered a positive read on the 23-year-old in a 1-on-1 interview with The Hockey News, saying: "He's just got to get healthy, but yeah, we love his spunk. We love the sandpaper that he brings, great personality, really well-loved, too, in the locker room. So we're just hoping that we can get him to a place where he can provide that feistiness for us every night."
Grebenkin’s first season in Philadelphia gave the Flyers a decent glimpse of what he can bring in a limited role. He played 55 games and finished with four goals, 10 assists and 14 points before the injury interrupted his season.
For now, he remains one of the Flyers’ two restricted free agents still to be signed before next season. He does not have arbitration rights, and no other NHL team can sign him to an offer sheet.
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