VOORHEES, N.J. — Ten days ago, Tanner Laczynski was playing in a rookie game. He called it a "great step" as he geared up for main training camp. The 24-year-old center was coming off a four-month recovery from right hip surgery to repair a torn labrum in late April.
Following the first two days of training camp, Laczynski's progress and jostling for a roster spot ended. It looks like his 2021-22 season has ended, too. The Flyers' 2016 sixth-round pick appears headed for another surgery, this time to his left hip.
"My understanding is he is going for the surgery," Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Wednesday. "I think they were still debating between his agent and the doctor what exactly they were going to do, but my understanding as of yesterday, he was going to do the surgery on his other hip."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Will he be out for the year?
"Pretty much," Vigneault conceded softly.
For Laczynski, the procedure would be his third in about a year and a half. He had core muscle surgery last offseason and missed the team's mini training camp. After playing five games, including his NHL debut, the four-year Ohio State product underwent his right hip surgery April 26 before the Flyers' season officially ended May 10.
"He came to camp last year and he was hurt, played a couple of games in the American League, came back with us, got hurt again," Vigneault said. "Now he comes to camp and he's hurt. Very unfortunate. I think the people in the organization think very highly of him, but I haven't seen him play very much, he's been hurt."
NHL
Laczynski would have been vying for a depth role on the Flyers' roster and call-up opportunities had he ended up with AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley to open the season.
In other health matters, Vigneault said surgery is still on the table for Wade Allison. The winger had a shot to make the Flyers' season-opening lineup before he suffered a right ankle sprain Sept. 19 in the team's second rookie game. He is out indefinitely.
"They're still in the process of discussing with another doctor on if he needs surgery or not right now — that's the latest that I've got," Vigneault said. "So they're in that process. Hopefully in the next few days we'll have a better idea."
More: Another injury to a Flyers prospect, roster evaluation continues vs. Bruins
Allison, a Western Michigan product who turns 24 years old next month, had to undergo ankle surgery in January at the beginning of last season. Allison and Laczynski have taken similar developmental paths. Both were drafted in 2016 and played four years in college. They both have battled injuries.
"It's tough, I talked to him a little bit yesterday," Scott Laughton said of Laczynski. "Same kind of thing with Wader, two guys that are knocking on the door and get hit with a little bit of bad luck. You never wish that on anyone and it's tough for those guys, but I think it makes you stronger down the line. It sucks right now for them and not being able to try and push for a spot, but at the same time, you put in the work, it's going to work out for you at the end of the day."
After making his Flyers preseason debut Tuesday night, Cam Atkinson did not practice Wednesday with either of the club's two training camp groups. Vigneault said it a was maintenance day for Atkinson and that he expects the 32-year-old winger to practice Thursday. Atkinson was not scheduled to play in the Flyers' preseason game Thursday night against the Bruins (7:30 p.m. ET/TNT).
More: Roster spots up for grabs and more in 3 observations on Flyers camp
Subscribe to and rate Flyers Talk
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Art19 | YouTube