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Michael Nylander dealing with minor injury; Chance of Flyers job in jeopardy

Michael Nylander

When the Flyers invited Michael Nylander to training camp to compete for a job with the team and potentially play alongside Jaromir Jagr once again, it was seen as a shock since Nylander hadn’t played in the NHL since the 2008-2009 season with the Capitals. A mix of a bad contract and a terrifying neck injury kept him out of action with the Capitals while his contract ran out, but the shot at coming back to the NHL beckoned him back from Europe.

That shot at the NHL, however, is taking a hit in preseason as he’s yet to suit up in a game for the Flyers to show if he’s still got the skills needed to play in the league. Without playing there’s no shot for Nylander to sign a deal with the Flyers in the first place. So what gives for the former point scorer? CSNPhilly.com’s Tim Panaccio finds out that Nylander’s health is keeping him idle.

General manager Paul Holmgren said late Friday that Nylander has a minor injury that is unrelated to the neck surgery he underwent last season.

Nylander, who did not make the trip to Motown, could be available to play Monday night against the Rangers, Holmgren said.


It would make for an ironic twist for Nylander to make his debut against the Rangers as it was in New York that he saw his best season in the NHL playing alongside Jagr. Nylander had 83 points that season while Jagr piled up 96 of his own. Nylander will be 39 years-old soon so his window for playing again in the NHL is closing and fast. If he can play soon and show he belongs, the chemistry he and Jagr had in New York could, potentially, happen again.

That said, Nylander has his work cut out for himself in winning a starting spot in Philadelphia. The jobs are few and far between to compete for in Philly so if Nylander is going to make the cut, he’s going to have to be even more impressive with his play to win a spot. Time is running out, however, for Nylander to show what he’s got.