Flyers prospect Shayne Gostisbehere back on ice after injury

SHAYNE GOSTISBEHERE wasn't bothered by the physical constraints in recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He wasn't really concerned with not being on the ice; just being able to be 100 percent when he returned was paramount.

Above all else, the most difficult part was just being alone, said the Flyers' third round pick in 2012.

So he got by - excuse the Beatles reference - with a little help from his friends, one family member and another of the "man's best friend" variety.

"I was up here in Philly," Gostisbehere said. "I got so alone, I bought a dog."

Gostisbehere got himself a French Bulldog, which his girlfriend named Cooper. That helped ease his time away from the ice.

"Also, it's [the] ups and downs in rehab," Gostisbehere said. "Every day is not going to be the best. Some days you feel great, some days you don't have it."

That part is where a family member played a crucial role in helping Gostisbehere through. His older sister, Felicia, whom Gostisbehere credits with being a big reason the Florida native got into hockey, was a world-class figure skater. Shayne said Felicia's career was cut short after she underwent double hip surgery. The recovery process, both physically and mentally, was something she understood.

"She helped me through it a bit, just staying focused on the positives and not too much on the negatives," Gostisbehere said. "It's ups and downs with this injury. I'm glad that process is over now, of course. I'm just champing at the bit to get going."

Yesterday was the first step back in that process, as the Flyers opened their annual prospect development camp at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J.

Gostisbehere got a taste of NHL action last season when the Flyers called him up from Lehigh Valley for two games on Oct. 25 and 28, but upon returning to the AHL, he suffered the nasty left knee injury on Nov. 7. He played in just seven games across both levels, recording five assists - all with the Phantoms.

Gostisbehere, who recorded 34 points in his final year at Union College while leading the team to its first national title, was on track to return in March, but the team opted to shut him down for the remainder of the season.

"It would have been easy to be impatient last year and put him on the ice towards the end," Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said. "We just didn't feel it was the right thing to do. It's good to see him out there and back on his skates and comfortable that he's not going to get hurt."

Getting hurt again is something Gostisbehere says is far from his thoughts.

"You can't think like that," he said. "You have to definitely be just focused on playing hockey. You can't think about your leg, whether you're going to get that puck or something like that. You have to go out there and play hockey. When you play scared like that, that's when something will happen."

Gostisbehere, who still wears a knee brace, says he feels nearly 100 percent.

His full recovery, and the Flyers selecting Ivan Provorov with the seventh overall pick in last month's draft, only adds to the depth of prospects the Flyers have on the blue line. At 22, Gostisbehere is the elder statesman of a young group that includes the 18-year-old Provorov, Samuel Morin, Travis Sanheim and Robert Hagg.

"I think it's a great collective fraternity we have of young 'D' prospects," Gostisbehere said. "Provorov, he's a heck of a good player. , we're a good collective group, we just push each other every day and have fun."

Once a contract agreement is reached with Michael Del Zotto, the team will have eight defensemen at the NHL level. It's possible a few contracts are moved between now and training camp in September, but if not, decisions will need to be made.

Provorov, many say, could be NHL-ready right now. And Gostisbehere obviously already has played at the highest level. But the Flyers could be pumping the brakes on how quickly some of these prospects reach the NHL level.

"I really don't want to put hopes on young players," Hextall said. "We've got eight defensemen right now, I think everybody knows it. Things somehow find a way of flushing themselves out. I've told you guys repeatedly, we're not going to hurry kids.

"If a kid comes in here and knocks us out, we'll make a decision at the time, depending on the moving parts."

All of that, Gostisbehere said, is out of his control and will sort itself out. Where he ends up to start the season isn't all that important.

"Of course everyone wants to be on the Flyers, but, again, most importantly for me, I just want to get on the ice and play a game," he said. "I want to get a year of pro hockey under my belt, not just seven games."