Flyers' Voracek: Born to bounce back

Slowed by a miserable start last year, Jake Voraceksaw his production go down from the previous season. Way down.

But the free-spirited Flyers right winger, whose off-key singing of "Born to Run" at a Bruce Springsteen concert this summer went viral on Twitter - enters his ninth NHL year in an upbeat mood. Way upbeat.

And why not? After getting a head start by playing for the Czech Republic in the World Cup, he is coming off an outstanding preseason, one in which his new line was dominating.

"He looks," coach Dave Hakstol said, "like he's in midseason form. He's had a lot of jump out there."

Playing in the intense World Cup competition, Voracek said, has prepared him for this season.

"Those games were at a high level and a high pace," he said. "I just have to try to sustain it as long as possible. Obviously there's going to be some dips in a season. There are for any player. You just have to find a way to play good as many games as possible."

In the preseason, Voracek was strong on the puck and looked like a confident player. He finished tied with Travis Konecny for the team lead with three goals.

"I feel more comfortable in my skates, turning, cutting, those first few steps," he said. "I had it for a little while last year, but it wasn't good enough. It wasn't long enough."

A year ago, after signing an eight-year, $66 million extension, Voracek didn't score a goal in his first 16 games. He finished with just 11 goals (one on the power play) and 55 points after producing 22 goals and a career-best 81 points the previous season.

After his breakout season in 2014-15, Voracek became the first right winger in Flyers history named to the all-NHL team. Then came the big contract extension.

Voracek, 27, was asked if, in retrospect, he thought he put more pressure on himself to produce because of the contract.

"I wouldn't say in the beginning of the year, but when you score one goal in the first 30 games, you start pushing a little too much," he said. "Sometimes you start pushing and pushing the wrong way."

General manager Ron Hextall, whose team finished just 22nd in goals scored per game (2.57) last year, thinks Voracek will have a bounce-back season.

"I think Jake grew a lot from last year," Hextall said. "Jake had a lot of success two years ago, and I think he became really frustrated last year because of the way things were going. And he came in this year and is really focused. I think he learned from last year. Jake's a top player. He's proven it. He had a bit of an off year last year, but he was good at times, and he's come in very hungry, and we expect big things from him."

Voracek will begin the season on the second line, with center Sean Couturier, the team's best defensive forward, and impressive rookie left winger Konency. He has spent most of the last couple of years on the Claude Giroux-centered top line.

"Me and [Giroux] had some chemistry, but when you play with [Couturier], you're going to usually be playing against the top lines, so you have to be more responsible defensively," he said. "But, on the other hand, you're not going to get the top" defense against you.

Voracek (6-foot-2, 214 pounds) and Couturier (6-3, 211) give the line nice size.

"Obviously, we're going to try not to get scored on by that top line," Voracek said. "We've got big bodies, and we're going to be hanging on the puck in the offensive zone."

The speedy and creative Konecny (5-10, 184) adds a different element to the line.

"He wants the puck," Voracek said. "Sometimes you see young guys who skate with their stick in the air, and they try to hide behind the play. He doesn't do that. He showed that with that [preseason] goal he scored in New York. I took the puck and turned up because I knew he would be there, and he went by the 'D' and yelled for the puck. He wants the puck. He wants to make a difference."

So does Voracek, who is determined to show that last season was a blip in a career that had been trending upward.

Like his "Born to Run" video.

scarchidi@phillynews.com

@BroadStBull