Simmonds ramping up for opening night with Flyers

VOORHEES, N.J. -- Wayne Simmonds was on the ice for the first half of the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp practice Saturday, working on skating and battle drills.

The forward sat out the scrimmage that ran for most of the second half, but that's part of the plan to get him healthy for the season opener at the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 4.
Simmonds had surgery May 1 to repair a pelvis tear on his right side and a torn abdominal muscle on his left side. The pelvis tear occurred before the start of training camp last season, but he managed to play 75 regular-season and six Stanley Cup Playoff games; the seven games he missed were because of torn ligaments in his thumb. The abdominal muscle tear happened during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was expected to need 4-6 months to recover.
"I'm trying to ramp up," Simmonds said. "That's a gradual thing. I think yesterday was more flowing drills and more stuff like that. Today was more battles and contact, stuff of that nature. We're just trying to gauge where I am right now, not hinder myself in any way. Try to keep going up and not plateau."
The 30-year-old said two days into camp he feels right where he expected to be.
"I think it's just getting my legs underneath me again," he said. "I didn't have the opportunity to skate in the summer like I normally do. So coming in and just gearing up toward being able to play at the start of the regular season. Things are going pretty well, pretty much as planned."

Simmonds' future is less settled. He's entering the final season of a six-year, $23.82 million contract ($3.97 million average annual value) and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. He's been eligible to sign an extension with the Flyers since July 1.
"I'm not going to discuss negotiations publicly," Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said in July. "I don't think it's good for anybody. … We'd like to keep him]. Whether we can or not, I don't have the answer to that. Long term, I guess we'll find out in the future."
Simmonds said he's not worried about the contract now.
"When it happens it happens, if it happens," he said. "I'm just focused on myself right now, being the best player I can for this team and for myself. I just want to play better and be healthy and be ready to go."
There's also a question of fit for Simmonds. He's likely to start the season at right wing on the third line at 5-on-5, but who he will play with remains a question. Scott Laughton or Oskar Lindblom could be at left wing, and Jordan Weal, Laughton and
[Mikhail Vorobyov
are among those competing at center.
His longtime spot in front of the net on the first power play isn't set either. Since 2011-12, Simmonds' first season in Philadelphia, his 86 power-play goals are second among NHL players to Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (131). But rookie Nolan Patrick showed he could be a solid net-front presence last season, and James van Riemsdyk, who signed a five-year contract as a free agent July 1, played at the net on the power play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Simmond said none of that has entered his thinking.
"I'm going to play my game wherever I am," he said. "I've never been a guy that says I have to be on the first line, the second line or the third line. Whatever the coach feels is best for the team and which way I can help out, that's what I'm going to do. Whether that's first line, third line or wherever he's going to put me I'm going to do my thing."
That thing will be reminding people what he can do when he's healthy, including back-to-back 30-goal seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
"I play with a chip on my shoulder no matter what," Simmonds said. "I don't think I need these reasons to have a chip [on] my shoulder. But it will help me play a lot harder."