Flyers hoping Chris Pronger will play on Wednesday

When the Flyers begin a three-game road trip on Wednesday at Tampa Bay against the Lightning, there is optimism that defenseman Chris Pronger will return to the lineup.

Of course, nobody, including Pronger is saying for sure whether he will suit up after missing the previous six games with a right eye injury.

Pronger suffered the injury in the Flyers' 4-2 win on Oct. 24 over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs when he was struck in the face by an inadvertent stick. Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski was following through on his shot when he struck the 37-year-old defenseman.

Since the injury, Pronger first took part in Flyers optional drills on Nov. 4 and has been working his way into shape. In his absence, the team has gone 3-2-1.

When asked following Tuesday's practice at the Skate Zone in Voorhees if he would know by Wednesday morning's skate whether he would go, Pronger replied, "I will probably have a better indication when I wake up [Wednesday] how I feel or even later [Tuesday]."

When asked where he was physically at this stage, Pronger was guarded.

"I couldn't tell you," he said. "I have to see how it feels. It didn't feel too hot [Monday], and we will see how I feel [later Tuesday]."

So is he ready to go, Coach Peter Laviolette?

"All that comes from [general manager] Paul Holmgren," Laviolette said.

The Flyers coach did appear encouraged by what he saw from Pronger.

"He looked good," Laviolette said.

Holmgren, when asked about Pronger, responded by e-mail, "Chris is still day-to-day."

There are two things that Pronger is adjusting to: regaining his wind and wearing a visor.

First the conditioning.

"It's been a little suspect the last couple of days," Pronger said. "You don't realize how quickly you lose it when you do nothing for seven days."

As for the visor, "Yes, it's different because this rink is a lot colder than the rinks we will play in," he said of the practice ice. "It will fog up a lot more in game rinks; you will get hit more. Sweat is going to be flying."

While Pronger indicated his conditioning was shaky, his teammates suggested otherwise.

"He looks in great shape," said Claude Giroux, who has nine goals and 10 assists in 14 games. "In two to three practices with us, he is moving well. He is a smart player, and if he's in good shape he will be fine out there."

Sunshine State stay. After playing in Tampa on Wednesday, the Flyers will stay in the Sunshine State through Sunday's game in Sunrise against the Florida Panthers.

The trip ends with Monday's game in Carolina against the Hurricanes. The extended time in Florida will serve as a team bonding session.

"It's pretty fun and kind of puts the team together, and you get to know the guys a little bit more because you are with them and you have team dinners and stuff," Giroux said. "There are a lot of new players on the team we know. But we still have a lot of stuff to know about them, and it will be a pretty big road trip for us."