Justin Braun getting extra ice time as he searches for 200th point

Point No. 200 has proven to be very pesky for Flyers defenseman Justin Braun.

The 36-year-old has been primarily a defensive-oriented player over his 13-year career, but his career-high six goals last season, along with his 12 points, put him at 197 points heading into this season.

Last season, Braun was traded at the March trade deadline to the New York Rangers but elected to return to the Flyers on a one-year deal. He was an every-nighter for the Flyers last season and arguably their most reliable defenseman. With a new coach at the helm and young players knocking on the door, Braun’s role changed drastically. He has been in and out of the lineup, playing just 48 games prior to Sunday, the team’s 80th game.

This season has not been what he was expecting, from a personal or team standpoint. However, his playing time has been reduced because of the rise of two players Braun has worked with closely — Cam York and Nick Seeler.

Braun partnered both last season. He sits next to fellow Minnesotan Seeler in the locker room and has been a mentor to York. Even though it’s been detrimental to his own playing time, Braun is proud of those two for working themselves into every-night roles. He said it’s been “fantastic” watching them grow. On his own end, he’s tried to keep impacting the locker room by bringing a positive presence and setting a good example for the younger players.

However, the Flyers coaching staff has decided to play Braun more often in recent games. He has played in three of the last seven games. Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Bruins, coach John Tortorella announced they were going with an unorthodox lineup. With Seeler out sick, forward Kieffer Bellows will come in, giving them 13 forwards and five defensemen.

The odd number works the same as if they had seven defensemen, Braun said, but it means way more playing time. They’ll have to be smart with how they manage shifts he said. On the bright side, it means more chances for Braun to get 200.

He’s trying not to think about it, but it’s always in the back of his mind.

“It’s awful,” Braun said with a laugh. “It drives me nuts. But you know, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, whatever.”

It’s hard to forget when it’s in the back of all his teammates’ minds, as well. They’ve been looking for ways to get him that point — “the boys are trying to help me out.”

Forward James van Riemsdyk is also an over-30 pending free agent on the cusp of a milestone. He’s sitting at 299 goals. While he needs a goal, Braun just needs a point of any type, so they’re trying to work together in these final games.

“We have to cut the puck in half,” Braun said.

As a pending free agent with a maximum of 51 games played this season, Braun may or may not have another chance to get that 200th point after this season. Braun said he’s trying not to think about it until the season’s over.

“I don’t know what my future is,” Braun said. “I’m just trying to enjoy these last few games. Every one that you’re in, I’m thankful for at this point.”

Although he didn’t give Carter Hart any explanation when he pulled him for the third period Saturday, Tortorella was thinking about Sunday’s game against the Boston Bruins. The Flyers were down 3-0 to the New York Islanders and didn’t look like they were going to mount a comeback against the skilled, disciplined team in the third period.

By bringing in Felix Sandström, Tortorella was giving Hart the chance to play on the second night of the back-to-back.

Hours later, Tortorella talked to goalie coach Kim Dillabaugh as well as the rest of the coaching staff and changed his mind. For a team in the playoff race, it might have made sense to get Hart back in there Sunday.

“We felt with really nothing on the line, we’re not going to play a goalie three games in four nights,” Tortorella said.

However, that doesn’t mean Tortorella was happy with Hart’s performance Saturday.

“I don’t think Carter played that great,” Tortorella said. “I think it has dipped a little bit on him. But he wasn’t taken out because of his play.”

Sandström starts against the Boston Bruins in the Flyers 6 p.m. home game Sunday. ... Defenseman Tony DeAngelo is a healthy scratch again. Tortorella refused to give an explanation other than “It’s just our decision.” DeAngelo did not skate with the healthy scratches Saturday at UBS Arena.

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