Ivan Provorov has ‘mixed emotions’ on return; Bobby Brink back in Flyers lineup

Traded in June to Columbus in a three-way deal that brought Sean Walker, Cal Petersen, and other assets, Ivan Provorov makes his return to Wells Fargo on Sunday.

Drafted seventh overall in 2015, the defenseman spent his first seven years in the City of Brotherly Love. By the time he packed his bags, he left as the No. 1 shot blocker in franchise history (1,035), sixth in points among defensemen (217), and fifth in hits (693).

“A little bit of a mixed feelings, mixed emotions,” he said prior to facing his former team. “Obviously, it’s a little bit weird being in this building on the other side. But, yeah, you know, I really enjoyed my time here but for right now it’s kind of hard to find words. It’s an emotional day.”

His tenure with the Flyers was a bit rocky, especially in the last few seasons. Back in October, prior to the puck dropping on the season in Columbus, he commented how he wasn’t happy with the system being employed and said, “The way the team played over there is just not really my game.” He was also the only Flyer to boycott themed warmups on Pride Night.

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Provorov did say he tried to mentor a number of the younger players on the Flyers. Defenseman Egor Zamula has said his countryman was a mentor to him in his first year. He is doing the same right now with Columbus and its younger players, especially the Russian players who head coach Pascal Vincent said look up to him like a big brother.

“He showed in camp in real good shape. He brings experience,” Vincent said. “Our PK is doing really well, he’s a big piece of it. He’s blocking shots and he’s making plays. He’s part of our leadership group. He brings a lot of components to our team.”

Nick Seeler enters Sunday tied for 15th in the NHL with 42 blocked shots. On Saturday, in the Flyers’ 4-3 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights, he had a team-high of five, including one he took off the forearm that he said was just a stinger. The defenseman said he “hopes to get one off the shin pads one of these days.”

After, Seeler skated to the bench hunched over and had a couple of his teammates give him a few helmet taps. As Kimo Timmonen — the No. 2 shot blocker in franchise history — recently told The Inquirer, blocking shots breeds winning hockey.

“It’s kind of the standard we have to play for us to win games,” Seeler said. “We have to play Flyer hockey [and] I think [John Tortorella] has done a really good job of kind of instilling that in the team and it definitely builds camaraderie.”

On Friday, Tortorella said that he was fighting it when asked about inserting Bobby Brink into the lineup. He acknowledged the young forward would sit for a third straight game on Saturday and he was struggling with what to do as the Flyers have shown to be a tight, bonded room; he didn’t want to play him just for the sake of playing him.

The struggle was real — but now in the past. Brink will get a chance to prove that watching from the press box and doing the extra work has paid off.

“It’s not very fun,” Brink said about sitting out on Friday following practice in Voorhees. “No one in the room wants to be out of the lineup but it’s the reality of the situation. Other guys have been in the same place as me and you just got to keep a good attitude and keep working hard. I’ll get a chance again and when that chance comes, it’s kind of on me to put myself in the position to stay in the lineup.”

With the team riding a four-game winning streak, he will slot in and, once again, Morgan Frost will come out.

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At just 22, the Minnesota native has missed a considerable amount of time since being drafted in 2019. He signed his entry-level deal in 2022 but sustained a torn labrum in his left hip that offseason and did not return until January 2023. This season, he has eight points (three goals, five assists) in 13 games, including one power-play goal.

“I’ve done a lot of watching the last couple of years from my injury and from the last couple of games here,” he said. “... We have a couple of guys that are similar in stature, and both right wingers, that have been really successful in the league and are good guys to sit up there and watch. So I’ve just been trying to watch them and see what makes them successful and try to keep that in the back of my mind.”

The 5-foot-8 Brink is talking about Travis Konecny and Cam Atkinson — two veterans who have shown success is possible for smaller dudes. Atkinson is the same height as Brink and Konecny is listed at 5-foot-10.

Patrik Laine will be a healthy scratch for Columbus and the team will go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. “I know what he can do on the ice. I know his potential,” Vincent said. “And right now ... I think Patty needs to take a deep breath ... and get his touches back, get his shot back, get his confidence back so he can be the No. 29 Patrik Laine we all know him to be. ... But nobody, nobody, not myself, nobody is bigger than the Blue Jackets.” ... Columbus has lost eight straight, including 4-3 to the Washington Capitals on Saturday night. ... As expected, Sam Ersson will start in net. Felix Sandstrom was placed on waivers earlier on Sunday. ... Marc Staal is not scheduled to play on Sunday. Tortorella said he is good to go but he has yet to return to the lineup.