Flyers' Bellemare back in running for C spot; Giroux makes progress

By now, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, a 29-year-old rookie who signed as a free agent, had hoped to have opened eyes in the Flyers’ training camp - and be close to nailing down the fourth-line center spot.

But an undisclosed injury suffered early in camp has limited him to just one preseason game.

Bellemare, who grew up in Paris and played the previous eight years in Sweden, skated with the team at Saturday's practice in Voorhees and said he felt "pretty close" to being ready to return to the lineup. Sean Couturier, who has been slowed by an upper-body injury, also practiced and proclaimed himself ready.

The Flyers play a preseason game in New Jersey Sunday night, and they may play it cautiously and give the centers another night off because they have several games this week. The Flyers (2-1-1) play the Rangers in Madison Square Garden on Monday, host the Rangers on Tuesday, then finish their eight-game exhibition schedule in Washington on Thursday.

Bellemare played in the Flyers' 3-2 shootout loss to Toronto on Monday, and felt sore when he woke up the next day.

"The coach needs to see me play, no doubt about it," Bellemare said in his thick French accent. "He wasn't even there for the game I played."

Coach Craig Berube was coaching the Flyers split-squad team to a 5-4 win over visiting Washington, while Bellemare was with the other split-squad team in London, Ontario.

"I have to keep positive," said Bellemare, who is battling Scott Laughton, Blair Jones and Chris VandeVelde for the fourth-line center spot. "I'm going to be back, and I just have to make sure I make a good impression."

Bellemare is adjusting to rinks that are smaller than in Europe.

With less room, "guys are on you," Bellemare said, "and there's less three-on-twos, and two-on-ones."

Giroux update: Claude Giroux, continuing his comeback from a lower-body injury, skated Saturday and made strides, "It's a long process and it's not fun, but it's getting better,so that's what counts," he said.

Giroux says when he can hit _ and be hit _ he will be able to play in an exhibition game. My guess: He returns Tuesday at the WFC against the Rangers.

Breakaways. Andrew Gordon, Brandon Manning, and Oliver Lauridsen cleared waivers and will report to the Phantoms....Backup goalie Ray Emery missed practice again with a lower-body injury…..The Flyers will have the following players in Allentown for Saturday's 5 p.m. exhibition against Lehigh Valley: Brayden Schenn, Michael Raffl, Zac Rinaldo, Jay Rosehill, Jones, Laughton, Jason Akeson, Zack Stortini, Chris VandeVelde, Michael Del Zotto, Luke Schenn, Sam Morin, and Shayne Gostisbehere. The game will be streamed on the Flyers' website.

Follow Sam Carchidi on Twitter @BroadStBull.