Nolan Patrick sidelined as Flyers open training camp; Joel Farabee replaces Travis Konecny

Center Nolan Patrick wasn’t able to participate in the opening day of the Flyers’ training camp Friday in Voorhees.

The Flyers said he had an upper-body injury, and general manager Chuck Fletcher said Patrick was “week to week.”

Patrick skated before the camp sessions and did some off-ice conditioning workouts

Fletcher said the Flyers had known about the injury “for a while,” and that surgery was not an option at this point.

Asked if Patrick would be ready for the start of the season, Fletcher said, "that’s tough to say."

Patrick, who had 13 goals in each of his first two seasons, will drop to the third-line center position this season. Kevin Hayes will become the No. 2 center.

Patrick, a third-year player who will turn 21 next week, had been skating at the Flyers’ practice facility before camp opened.

If Patrick is out a long time, it could open a spot for Morgan Frost at center. Frost is among numerous candidates vying to play right wing on the third line.

Ivan Provorov, who agreed to a six-year contract Thursday night, was on the ice during Friday’s second session and paired with Matt Niskanen He passed his physical Thursday before he signed, an indication he knew a deal was going to happen later in the night.

The Flyers are still negotiating with restricted free agent Travis Konecny.

Rookie Joel Farabee took Konecny’s spot at right wing during his group’s session. Farabee, who had a stellar rookie camp, was with left winger Claude Giroux and center Sean Couturier on the top line.

“I had a lot of fun out there with them; they’re obviously great players,” Farabee, 19, said. “I’m just trying to keep my game simple. Turnovers are a big thing, so you have to try to limit those. Get those guys the puck and play my game.”

Negotiations between the Flyers and Konecny’s agent are not going well.

“We still have a ways to go,” Fletcher said.

With Konecny not in camp, it’s an “opportunity for others to step up,” Fletcher said.

Alain Vigneault said he was “very disappointed” Konecny wasn’t at camp and said the winger was falling behind in learning the new coach’s system.

In the third group, Shayne Gostisbehere was paired with Justin Braun, while Phil Myers was with Travis Sanheim. ... Some lines of note: Kevin Hayes centered James van Riemsdyk and Oskar Lindblom, and Morgan Frost centered Isaac Ratcliffe and Jake Voracek. ... Left winger Ben McCartney, a camp invitee, is sidelined with a hip injury. ... Camp sessions will start at 8:30 a.m. and run to 2:45 p.m. on Saturday. ... Longtime Flyers public-address announcer Lou Nolan on Saturday will sign copies of his book, “If These Walls Could Talk: Philadelphia Flyers,” from around 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Skate Zone. ... Fletcher praised the tempo and organization of Vigneault’s first day of camp. ... Tyler Pitlick, expected to battle for a third- or fourth-line right-wing spot, is still sidelined because of wrist surgery. He will probably miss most of training camp.