VOORHEES, N.J. — The Flyers on Friday lost Sean Couturier for the rest of the 2021-22 season and there's a high likelihood Ryan Ellis will join him soon.
What about Kevin Hayes?
"I would say it's 50/50 that he can come back and play," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Friday.
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An abdominal injury has wreaked havoc on the Flyers' second-line center since last season. Prior to the start of this season, Hayes had to undergo two abdominal surgeries in fewer than four months. In January, he underwent another procedure to drain fluid from the adductor region (core area).
"I commend him for playing through what he has and what he's gone through," Scott Laughton said last month. "Unbelievable teammate and guy."
In total this season, Hayes has been able to play 20 games. Despite the 29-year-old refusing to make excuses or reveal his limitations, he was not himself in any of those 20 games. Hayes last played Jan. 17.
"It's been certainly a lot going on in that area for him — the core muscle, the groins, everything," Fletcher said.
"He also may need some additional work done to get him ready for next year. We’re doing what we can, he’s seen different specialists, so I feel we have a good grasp on where we’re at."
Hayes has rehab skated off and on since his cleanup procedure. He was on the ice Friday with skating coach Slava Kouznetsov, Joel Farabee (upper body), Rasmus Ristolainen (undisclosed), Patrick Brown (MCL sprain) and Tyson Foerster (shoulder).
Couturier, the club's first-line center, underwent season-ending back surgery Friday. With Ellis, "at this point, really, our focus is on next year," Fletcher said Friday. The top-pair defenseman has played only four games this season because of a lower-body injury.
With the embattled Flyers standing at 15-23-8, their big-picture focus has shifted to next season.
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Time will soon tell how Hayes feels in his rehab and if it makes sense for him to try to play again this season.
"If he can come back, play, feel good and not do any further damage, that’s great," Fletcher said. "But if it’s not healing to the extent we need it to be, to the level we need it to be, then we’ll have to look at additional surgery. It’s still a little bit up in the air, but I think everyone’s realistic about the situation.
"We’re going to have to see how he responds to the treatment and the skating that he’s doing now. The focus for all these guys is a.) what’s in their best long-term interests in terms of their health and b.) can we get them ready for the 2022-23 season."
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