Flyers’ Cam York looks to turn his game around after rusty return following injury

Cam York knows there’s another gear to his game.

The defenseman will get a chance to show it on Saturday when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Wells Fargo Center(7 p.m., NBCSP). York was a healthy scratch for Thursday’s 7-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

“For me, it’s been execution,” he said. “Plays that I usually make haven’t been as clean for me since returning. That’s something that we’re just going to have to work through, and it’s been a struggle for me but there’s only one way to get past it, and that’s just to put your best foot forward and try and get better every shift.”

The defenseman returned to the lineup Nov. 23 after missing 13 games with a shoulder injury. After the game, he said he felt a bit rusty following his longest disruption since becoming a full-time NHLer. On Saturday, he agreed that he underestimated what a month off the ice can do.

Before the injury, he had played seven games and was leading the Flyers in average ice time at 22 minutes, 56 seconds. It was 9 seconds more than his partner Travis Sanheim, who now ranks eighth in the NHL in average ice time at 25:06.

“At the end of the day, I’m a professional, and I know when I mess up, or if I’m doing something good,” York said. “I’m aware of those things. Obviously, [coach John Tortorella] has his ways of showing that to a player, and that’s kind of what we’re going through.”

The two have had some conversations and “it’s been good feedback,” York said. Tortorella has openly said York wasn’t playing well before he was sent to the press box.

“I’m looking for a response tonight from Yorkie. ... He has been in neutral long enough,” Tortorella said. “Because I’ve watched Yorkie play at a whole different level from his first year to where the level he’s gotten to, and I’ve talked to you about that. But where his game’s at now, it’s unacceptable.”

In his first season under Tortorella, York played 54 games in the NHL and 20 with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League. Last season he was one of four Flyers to play in all 82 games and was anointed “one of our better defenders” by the bench boss after the All-Star break.

Since returning from injury, York has struggled to re-find his game. Wednesday night the bottom dropped out. After turning over the puck for a goal by Alex DeBrincat in the second period of the Flyers’ 6-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, he played one more shift before being benched for the rest of the game. Across his last two games, he had a plus-minus of minus-3 and four giveaways.

» READ MORE: Flyers send Emil Andrae back to Lehigh Valley

“The thing is, he’s got himself in a jackpot with me because I’ve seen him play at a level,” Tortorella said. “When you see a guy play at a level, and a level that I doubted he could get to the first year; the first year we sent him down. I said, ‘What the [heck] is that?’ Because I heard so much about him, I didn’t see any of that.

“But as I watched him grow and him blocking shots, and just the willingness he has as a player, the puck handling, probably one of our better defenders. You just watch him grow and I do and always will have a ton of respect for him [and] how he’s grown. That’s the jam he’s in right now. You can’t stop and you’re not going to be allowed to go backwards. So he’s in neutral.”

The soon-to-be 25-year-old defenseman will slot back into the lineup and is expected to be reunited with Sanheim. Emil Andrae, who played on Thursday, was returned to the Phantoms on Friday.

“It’s a no-brainer. It’s gotten too rich for him,” Tortorella said. “Easy part of the process. He gets a little bit up here, plays really well, starts falling off. We are not going to keep putting a kid into a spot where we’re hurting him with some struggles. ... I’m going to tell you all right now, it’s not that complicated in our decision-making.

“This is the right thing to do for him. There’s no secret stuff going on to get him through Christmas break. He needs to go down and play because there’s been some struggles in his game.”

Sam Ersson will start in goal against the Blue Jackets. ... Forward Olle Lycksell has been recalled from Lehigh Valley, per the NHL’s media site. Sean Couturier was not at the team’s morning skate on Saturday but is expected to play. ... The team will be honoring the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau before the game tonight and the Gaudreau family is expected to be in attendance. Johnny Gaudreau played for the Blue Jackets.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ visit to Columbus is another painful reminder of the void left by the late Johnny and Matty Gaudreau