Kieffer Bellows hopes to take his opportunity with the Flyers to cook up some more offense

Kieffer Bellows misses his kitchen.

Since the Flyers claimed him off waivers from the New York Islanders on Oct. 27, Bellows has been back and forth between the Flyers’ practice rink in Voorhees and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ rink in Allentown. He hasn’t stuck in one place long enough to rent an apartment, so he’s been staying in hotels.

Bellows is used to the back and forth. Over his five-year professional career, Bellows has been shuttled between AHL lineups, NHL lineups, and NHL benches. However, for four of those years, he was in one organization and was able to find a permanent place to live.

The kitchen was his refuge as he battled to stick in the NHL. He made steaks and homemade pasta and searched the internet for new recipes.

“It’s my biggest decompressor and helps me relax mentally,” Bellows said. “I look up new recipes, and no matter how long they take, I go through it diligently.”

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But in Philadelphia, he hasn’t had many opportunities to cook (though he’s open to UberEats recommendations) nor prove himself on the ice.

After playing 12 games to start his Flyers career, Bellows was sent to the Phantoms on Dec. 2 for five games and went on a three-game goal streak. He was recalled Dec. 17 and played one game before returning to the Phantoms the next day. After 11 games with the Phantoms, Bellows had scored nine points.

“It just let me feel the puck more, gave that boost of confidence with the puck on my stick,” Bellows said. “I feel like that really helped me build and get that offensive mindset going to where I am right now where I feel more freely out there.”

On Jan. 5, Bellows got the call up again, but he returned to Philadelphia to ride the bench. For 11 games, he practiced with the team but did not dress for games. Sitting for so long was challenging mentally and physically, but Bellows said his teammates helped him focus and keep his head up. Nicolas Deslauriers, who’s been in his situation before, and Justin Braun, who’s also been a healthy scratch for many games, encouraged him, and Braun “kept it light and fun.” Even those who are active players, like Kevin Hayes and Travis Konecny, worked to keep Bellows involved and ready for whenever his opportunity came.

On Jan. 28, Bellows’ time finally arrived. It was because two of his teammates, Wade Allison and Zack MacEwen, were hurt, but Bellows wasn’t going to waste the chance.

Against the Winnipeg Jets, who are second in the Western Conference, Bellows finally broke through and scored his first goal as a Flyer to help the team to a 4-0 victory. For a player whose shot has always been his best attribute, it was a weight off his shoulders.

“After scoring your first one, I feel like your game kind of loosens up a little bit,” Bellows said. “You’re not gripping the stick as tight.”

As a first-round pick and the son of NHL All-Star Brian Bellows, he’s always had expectations to live up to. Bellows said he’s gotten through his up-and-down career by believing that the next chance will come, a mentality he recommends to other young players. He’s also surrounded by a strong support system.

When the All Star break arrived, Bellows had the chance to disconnect from hockey for a little before going back to the grind of trying to make it. He took the chance to cook as much as he could, making his girlfriend cacio e pepe, and recharge through family time.

Meanwhile, his teammates took the chance to heal, and Allison returned ready to play again. With MacEwen still out, though, Bellows will continue to get a chance — unless he gets hurt or they call someone else up. Bellows is aware that any game could be his last chance to prove himself, and he’s trying to play like it.

“You never know how long your career is going to be, and you never know when it’s going to be your last game,” Bellows said.

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Coach John Tortorella hasn’t seen enough to make a commitment to him. Through Bellows’ first games as a Flyer, he was playing on the fourth line of a struggling team and trying prove himself in limited minutes. While he had over 13 minutes against the Jets, he was given just six minutes in Monday’s 2-1 loss to the Islanders.

“If he plays, and we feel he stays in the lineup, we’ll see what he is,” Tortorella said Monday morning. “If not, then there’s other people we’ll look at also. ... He’ll kind of make his call for us as far as how he plays.”

While Bellows feels like he’s shown his defensive reliability and flashes of his speed and strength, he knows there’s more to his game the Flyers have yet to see.

“I think I can show more of my creativity,” Bellows said. “Maybe that’s just me, two games in, making sure I’m reliable, but I want to go out there and be more creative offensively.”

The Flyers host the Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m. Thursday. ... Tortorella held an extra-long practice Wednesday because, he said, after Monday’s loss to the Islanders, there were lots of things to work on from mindset to execution.