Flyers’ Cam Atkinson cleared for contact, participates in first full practice since training camp

Listed at 5-foot-8, 176 pounds, winger Cam Atkinson shows no deference to the concept of picking on someone your own size.I

In his first full Flyers practice since missing time after training camp while dealing with an upper-body injury, Atkinson didn’t shy away from contact Monday when going up against the team’s biggest, strongest players. During a two-on-two rush drill, Atkinson delivered a hit in the corner on 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen. The distinctive duo went at it again toward the end of practice during a two-on-two, small-area battle drill, as Atkinson wrestled Ristolainen down to the ice and sent the defenseman’s helmet flying.

» READ MORE: Flyers prospect Cam York is ‘on the right track’ after strong start with the Phantoms

Sidelined by injury for the last two months, Atkinson will take his wins where he can get them.

“1-0 on Risto,” Atkinson said with a smirk.

Atkinson is cleared for contact and is inching closer toward a return to a decimated Flyers lineup. The 33-year-old winger ramped up his skating last week in the rehab group but did not have the opportunity to practice with the team until Monday due to the hectic nature of the schedule that had the Flyers playing back-to-back or every other night for the last few weeks.

The ramping-up intensified during the Flyers’ first practice in 10 days, as coach John Tortorella packed the session with high-speed rush drills and conditioning laps. Atkinson welcomed the breathless sprints and the physical checks reminiscent of training camp.

“Just good to be back with the guys and battling and going through a lovely Torts practice like that was,” Atkinson said.

Since Sep. 25, Atkinson has been out with an undisclosed upper-body injury. He declined to specify the exact nature of the issue. However, he noted that he has “never quite had” this type of injury before. While the Flyers are approaching his ailment with caution, Atkinson said he is “going to be back sooner than later.”

That should be welcome news to Tortorella, who is missing some of his most skilled players up front to injury, including center Sean Couturier (back surgery), winger Scott Laughton (upper body), winger Travis Konecny (upper body), and winger James van Riemsdyk (broken finger). Atkinson won’t be jumping back into game action on Tuesday against the New York Islanders as the Flyers look to snap their 10-game losing streak, according to Tortorella. Even though Atkinson has been out for the first quarter of the season, Tortorella isn’t too concerned about his conditioning.

“He’s been skating and I think the best type of conditioning you get is within games,” Tortorella said. “So I think you get into quicker shape that way. So he’s been doing a lot of work off the ice, a lot of work on the ice, but not so much with his hands and all that. All of them. TK, James, all those guys have been doing a lot of skating. So I don’t think it will be a problem.”

While Atkinson won’t be back in the Flyers’ lineup immediately, Tortorella embraced his energetic, competitive presence at practice.

“The best compliment I can give a guy is calling him a hockey player,” Tortorella said. “He just loves playing. And it’s been killing him not to. He sees us going down this road. And I’ve known him for so long now. He wants to make a difference every time he’s on the ice. So when that time happens, it’s going to be a big boost to our team.”

Before the start of practice, general manager Chuck Fletcher announced that he placed Konecny on injured reserve and recalled defenseman Egor Zamula from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Moving Konecny to IR is not indicative of a setback, according to a Flyers spokesperson. Rather, the transaction gives the Flyers the salary-cap space to add Zamula to the roster.

Konecny appeared to injure his right hand against the Boston Bruins on Nov. 17 and has been out since. On Nov. 22, Fletcher said that Konecny is expected to be out for 10-14 days. He participated in a rehab skate on Monday with van Riemsdyk. If their rehab continues on a positive trend, both players could potentially return to the lineup in early December.

Meanwhile, Zamula arrived in Voorhees for Flyers practice after playing two games with the Phantoms during his weeklong assignment. Tortorella said that Zamula would be in the lineup against the Islanders on Tuesday, but he did not say which defenseman would be coming out.

“Z is a guy that is very interesting to us,” Tortorella said. “Has a lot to learn. Had some major turnovers in his last few starts with us, but also sees the ice. Those are things we’ve got to fight through.”

» READ MORE: Owen Tippett has been one of the biggest positives amid the Flyers’ uneven start

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo did not practice on Monday because he was “banged up,” according to Tortorella. DeAngelo blocked a shot on Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and appeared to still be nursing an injury on Saturday against the Islanders. Tortorella said he thinks DeAngelo will play on Tuesday. Zamula will play regardless of whether DeAngelo is in the lineup.