Philadelphia Flyers: 5 Players With Most to Prove in 2023

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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 14: Cam Atkinson #89 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrates after scoring his third goal of the game for the hat trick during the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Wells Fargo Center on December 14, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

Like Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season, and is now much older than he was in the last game he played in.

For Cam Atkinson, the stakes in the 2023-24 season are pretty cut and dried: he will be 36 when his current contract expires, and this might be his last shot at playing in the NHL as a regular. Atkinson had 50 points in his only season as a Flyer thus far, but given his age and $5.875 million cap hit for another two years, Daniel Briere and the Philadelphia Flyers might not feel inclined to keep him beyond this season. Unless Atkinson can show the juice he had pre-neck surgery, his NHL career could be coming to a close sooner than later.

Cam Atkinson has scored on PK and the Flyers lead against Florida 2-1 in 2nd period. 4 goal in 4th game so far for Cam Atkinson! Great for him, great for the Flyers! pic.twitter.com/T0tDUqbK7G
— Andy & Rono (@ARHockeyStats) October 24, 2021

The Philadelphia Flyers’ roster looks wildly different compared to how it did in Atkinson’s last full game with the team. Martin Jones, James van Riemsdyk, Patrick Brown, Kevin Connauton, Kevin Hayes, Ivan Provorov, Oskar Lindblom, Nate Thompson, and Hayden Hodgson have all retired or moved on to other teams. It will be a huge adjustment for Atkinson to play with new teammates whilst having to take on his normal workload after a neck surgery.

If Cam Atkinson is unable to return to form, it could be curtains on his Philadelphia Flyers career and his hockey career.

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