Flyers’ Cam Atkinson ready to ‘enjoy the moment’ in return to Columbus

After playing a decade in Columbus, Ohio, Cam Atkinson returns for the first time as a visiting player.

He'll do so with the Flyers (22-37-11) as they take on the Blue Jackets (33-32-6).

Let's get into the essentials for the game:

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When: 7 p.m. ET with Flyers Pregame Live at 6:30 p.m. ET
Where: Nationwide Arena
Broadcast: NBC Sports Philadelphia+
Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app

• Atkinson went from a 2008 sixth-round draft pick of the Blue Jackets to becoming a face of the organization.

Prior to being traded to the Flyers last summer, the 32-year-old winger had never played for another team. Columbus was an expansion organization in 2000. After 10 seasons with the Blue Jackets, Atkinson ranks second on the franchise's all-time leaderboards in games played (627), points (402) and goals (213). No player has more goals (10), assists (16) or points (26) in Columbus' playoff history than Atkinson.

So coming back to Nationwide Arena has a great deal of meaning to Atkinson. He'll have plenty of friends and family at tonight's game.

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"I think I'm happier that it's later in the season than in the start just to kind of digest everything that's happened," Atkinson said Wednesday. "Talking to a guy like Nick Foligno who went through the same experience, he just kind of gave me some advice to just enjoy the moment. I spent a lot of time there, within the community and so many friends. Hopefully it's going to be a good turnout and get a lot of happy cheers and no boos."

When he was traded for Jakub Voracek in July, Atkinson admitted to being caught completely off guard. Back in January, he said he would have appreciated more of a heads up from Columbus that a deal was in the works. But overall, he has spoken highly of the organization and the city.

"I'm excited to go back and experience it and just walk through Nationwide," Atkinson said, "see all the people behind the scenes that go unnoticed that were a part of my career there."

Atkinson has played all 70 games this season while battling injury. He leads the Flyers in goals (23) and points (50).

"I think Cam is the kind of guy that can be a good example for our young players and our old players," Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo said Wednesday. "Him recognizing the impact that he has on everybody else. You see him, he's the guy that's going to block a shot, he's the guy that's going to be on the right side of the puck, he's the guy that's going to manage the puck in the right situation, he's the guy that goes hard to the net.

"Those are all things that winners do and they do them regardless of the time of the game, they do them regardless of how they're feeling at that particular moment. For me, personally, he's a great example in all those areas."

• Martin Jones is in net for the Flyers, who are coming off of a 4-2 loss Tuesday to the Blue Jackets.

Here is tonight's projected lineup, via the Philadelphia Inquirer's Olivia Reiner.

Pregame updates from Mike Yeo:
- Martin Jones starts in goal
- Kevin Connauton in, Keith Yandle out
- Laughton moves up to top line with Atkinson and Farabee, Frost centers van Riemsdyk and Konecny, Hayes with Cates and Tippett, fourth line stays Lindblom-Thompson-Brown
— Olivia Reiner (@ReinerOlivia) April 7, 2022