With Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds battling back, Flyers’ ‘Camp Uncertainty’ enters its final week

Call it Camp Uncertainty. The Flyers are uncertain whether goaltender Brian Elliott can find his "A" game by Thursday. They are uncertain whether to back him up with another player with recent injury history in Anthony Stolarz, or risk eroding the confidence of their 20-year-old goaltender of the future, Carter Hart.

They are uncertain too, which versions of Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds they will get when the puck is dropped for real in Las Vegas on Oct. 4.

Both leaned-on players, returning from the most serious surgeries of their careers, have yet to see action in an exhibition game. They won't again tonight, when the Flyers host the Rangers at the Wells Fargo Center. They have yet to shoot a puck, catch a pass, take or give a hit.

Veterans who have undergone surgeries involving the lower extremities often say it is their hands that give them the most trouble as they return to play. There is no substitute for the timing and coordination required in catching and shooting pucks, they say.

Couturier did not dispute this.

"We'll see how it goes, but that's why I kind of want to play at least one (game)," he said during an optional practice for players not involved in Thursday night's game against the Rangers. "To get a feel of the game, the pace, get the bad habits of summer hockey out of the system and be ready for the opener. No matter what though I'll be ready on Oct. 4."

Couturier is hoping to play in the final exhibition game in Boston on Saturday. Although he skated on his own Wednesday, Thursday marked his first organized practice since leaving early from practice on Sept. 22.

Simmonds was out there too, and appeared to be notably ebullient afterwards, or at least in a better mood than he had been earlier in training camp.

Asked about each player's hands, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said, "With certain players, I would have more of that concern. With Coots, I've seen it in camp. He's worked at a high level earlier in camp. Obviously he hasn't been able to most recently. For Simmer, though, it's been the inverse. His high level of work has come here late in camp. He's really been able to ramp it up.

"Is there any replacement for getting into game action? No. There probably isn't. Those guys have one more opportunity to play on Saturday. But again, if it doesn't make sense, health is most important. We're going to give those guys the best chance to be at 100 percent physically. Even if some of the timing might not be there."

Said Couturier, "Hopefully I can stay healthy for all 82 games now that I've gone through this injury. Better to have it now, start of camp then two weeks later.

"It's a long season, it's a marathon. We won't win the Stanley Cup in October. But you still have to be ready."