Flyers' Cote has bosses' backing

General manager Paul Holmgren said last night that Cote, a left winger who had three points and 174 penalty minutes last season, would start the year with the Flyers.

"It's not something I would even consider," Holmgren said of trying to get Cote through waivers and demoting him to the AHL's Adirondack Phantoms.

Trades sometimes happen as teams finalize rosters. Yesterday, the Flyers dealt minor-league defenseman Patrik Hersley to Nashville for future considerations, reducing their number of pro contracts to 48 - two below the maximum.

Teams can carry 23 players on the NHL roster, and the Flyers still have 29.

Assuming there are no more deals and center Blair Betts makes the team - the veteran has opened eyes with a solid camp - there appear to be 12 forwards, including Cote, who are roster locks.

If the Flyers keep 13 forwards, that would leave two players battling for one spot: van Riemsdyk and Pyorala. (The Flyers could carry 14 forwards, but because of salary-cap issues, that's unlikely.)

Cote's value, of course, is as the team's heavyweight brawler.

Is that a luxury? No, Holmgren and coach John Stevens said.

After yesterday's practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, Stevens said that even if Cote was scratched from some games, he was a key contributor.

"A guy like Riley, he has an impact just by his work ethic and his attitude around the hockey team," Stevens said. "He makes our hockey team better by being here."

Asked if Cote's job was in doubt, Stevens said: "I think Riley is an important guy on our team. He's been in situations with me before where he doesn't play every day, [but] he's a perfect guy because of his attitude. . . . He's a guy we want on our team."

Cote isn't taking his Flyers days for granted.

"You never know what the future is ahead of you," said Cote, who will make $525,000 this season. "You just have to keep working hard, and whatever happens, happens.

"I don't worry about the outside pressure. You can't. There's always somebody trying to grab your job, no matter what year it is. To me, I just have to keep doing my thing."

Emery time. Goalie Ray Emery, who played all 60 minutes in Tuesday's 5-2 win over Detroit, is scheduled to play all of tonight's game against visiting New Jersey.

"It's important to stretch him out now, where he has to focus and concentrate for the whole 60 minutes and get used to playing full games," Stevens said.

Breakaways. Stevens on van Riemsdyk: "He's certainly been all we hoped he would be. I think it's pretty obvious what he can do when he has the puck, but we just have to make sure he continues to get better without the puck.". . .. Winger Patrick Maroon, who has been bothered by the effects of off-season sports-hernia surgery, is expected to make his preseason debut tonight. . . . Defenseman Randy Jones, limited to 47 games last year after undergoing hip surgery in October, says he is close to being at full strength. "I'm 200 percent better than last year, that's for sure," he said. . . . Defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, who injured his mouth and lost a tooth in Toronto on Saturday, will return to the lineup tonight.

Contact staff writer Sam Carchidi at 215-854-5181 or scarchidi@phillynews.com.