Flyers’ Kevin Hayes won’t play against the Rangers; Lukáš Sedlák leaves organization

Flyers coach John Tortorella announced he is scratching leading scorer Kevin Hayes for Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers.

Hayes, who has scored 29 points in 31 games, was benched through the third period of Thursday’s 2-1 win over the New Jersey Devils following a turnover at the end of the second period. He finished with 9 minutes, 47 seconds of ice time, the third-least on the team.

Hayes previously has been benched in the third period. In the Flyers’ sixth game of the season, he and Travis Konecny sat out the final 20 minutes against the San Jose Sharks.

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The nine-year NHL veteran also has been moved from his typical position. This season, he started as the top-line center. Following the Flyers’ 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 25, he was moved to wing and hasn’t returned to center since. He’s played as far down as the third line but most recently has been on the second line.

Tortorella said he’s trying to have Hayes focus just on offense and get that going. He added he trusts rookie Noah Cates’ defense more. Cates typically has played on the wing but has been playing center instead of Hayes.

Hayes declined to comment after practice. Tortorella also declined to explain, saying, “That’s between Kevin and I.”

Hayes is in the fourth year of a seven-year contract with an average annual value of $7.142 million. He is the highest-paid Flyer and takes up 8.7% of the team’s cap space.

When the Colorado Avalanche placed Lukáš Sedlák on waivers, he wondered if his former Columbus Blue Jackets coach Tortorella would claim him.

Tortorella, along with general manager Chuck Fletcher, quickly jumped on his contract. Sedlák joined the Flyers in the Florida with a sunny smile. Now, he’s waving farewell to them.

The versatile winger and aggressive penalty killer met with Tortorella on Saturday morning ahead of morning skate to let him know he decided to return home to the Czech Republic. Tortorella told him there’s a place for him in the Flyers organization, but once he heard Sedlák’s reasons, he didn’t argue them.

“We’re going to miss him,” Tortorella said. “He’s a good man.”

The decision came from a culmination of things, Sedlák said. There’s nothing serious to worry about back home, and there’s also nothing the Flyers did to drive him away.

Before signing with the Avalanche, Sedlák, 29, played three seasons for Tortorella with the Blue Jackets and then three seasons in the KHL. He returned to North America to prove to himself he can be an NHL player.

Sedlák achieved that goal. He became an important part of the Flyers’ penalty kill and played well enough to move up from the fourth line. He scored three goals and five assists and saw his ice time increase from nine or fewer minutes to 10-15 minutes every game. Achieving the goal made his decision more difficult.

“If I knew that I can’t play it would be just like ‘OK, I’m not good enough, and I just go home and it’s fine, too,’” Sedlák said. “But this makes it kind of harder because I think I played pretty well and I was kind of happy with how I played.”

However, the feeling of achievement wasn’t enough to entice him to stay. For several weeks, Sedlák said he was evaluating whether being an NHL player truly made him happy. Friday, he decided the answer was that it didn’t make him happy enough for how much he’s had to give up.

“It didn’t bring me what I expected it to bring me,” Sedlák said. “I’d rather be home with my family.”

Sedlák’s parents, brother, and fianceé live in the Czech Republic. He said they’ve sacrificed a lot for him to pursue a hockey career. For the last 12 years, he hasn’t been able to be home much. And his fianceé is working and in school, so she wasn’t able to come to the United States with him.

“That’s one of the reasons, too,” Sedlák said.

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While he might be leaving the NHL, Sedlák is not leaving hockey completely. He will play for the club HC Dynamo Pardubice upon his return. It pays less, but he’s hoping it will be more fulfilling.

“I’m getting to a certain age where it’s not just about being in NHL or playing in NHL for whatever matters, but it’s also about playing, having fun playing, because I don’t know how many good years I have left,” Sedlák said.

While the “negatives overwrite the positives,” it hasn’t been all bad. He’ll remember how Tortorella, who spoke highly of him, coached him in Columbus and in Philadelphia. He will carry the experience of playing a bigger NHL role than a fourth-liner. And he will remember how good his teammates were to him.

His teammates will remember him as well. Although it’s an unusual situation, it’s not strange to lose a teammate suddenly, whether through trades or injuries. They’ll adapt, linemate Patrick Brown said, and they’ll remember the energy and hard work he brought.

Scott Laughton, the only player to wear a letter on the team, said he found out Saturday morning. He said Sedlák brought energy at a time it was sorely needed. He plans to give him some time and then will reach out.

“He’ll be missed in our room,” Laughton said. “I hope he’s happy.”

Whenever Tony DeAngelo finished his summer workouts, he’d have lunch with his grandmother, Jo-Ann DeAngelo.

Jo-Ann never was a big hockey fan, but when her grandson became one of the best prospects locally, she went all in. She watched all his games on TV, and when he was traded to the Flyers, she attended his debut.

Jo-Ann supported more than just Tony the hockey player. She also supported Tony the person, always lending him a listening ear. He loved her with a bond unlike another.

So when Jo-Ann died unexpectedly on Dec. 11, Tony didn’t even think of returning to his team.

“Probably closer than I was to anybody,” Tony said. “She always told me that no matter what, she’d want me to play right away. But there was no way I could play next week.”

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Before Tony found out the news, he had been working out in Arizona, where he was going to be a healthy scratch. Now back, he’s jumping right back in the lineup. Being back on the ice and around his teammates is helpful, and he’s determined to play better than he was before he left.

Jo-Ann would have watched his games on Comcast. She also still has the reminders for the Carolina Hurricanes games from when he played for them last year. The reminder for the Hurricanes game against the Seattle Kraken popped up on her television the other night.

That was hard to see, Tony said, but he’ll be carrying her with him as he heads back out on the ice.

Carter Hart will start in goal for the Flyers’ 7 p.m. game against the Rangers on Saturday. … Patrick Brown returns from injury. Kieffer Bellows has been called up from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to replace Sedlák. Max Willman (upper body) remains out, so Olle Lyksell will play again. … Justin Braun comes out for DeAngelo. … Wade Allison (oblique and hip) skated but will not play. Cam Atkinson and Zack MacEwen did not skate.