SUNDAY FEATURE: Gostisbehere Feels Ready To Return To Flyers

SYRACUSE, NY - The Philadelphia Flyers assigned defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (AHL) on a conditioning stint over the weekend, where he appeared in games on back-to-back nights Friday in Rochester and Saturday in Syracuse in what is expected to be a two-game tune-up for the rehabbing defenseman recovering from a knee injury.

"I believe so," Gostisbehere told InsideAHLHockey.com Saturday night in Syracuse when asked if Saturday's game against the Syracuse Crunch would be his final game with the Phantoms on the conditioning stint.

Most importantly, a healthy Gostisbehere didn't appear to be inhibited by the lower body injury that caused him discomfort upon his original return from some time on the Flyers' injured list. His skating looked smooth in both games, and his second game of the back-to-back was actually probably his better game of the two he played in the AHL this weekend.

"Pretty good actually," said Gostisbehere of how he was feeling after back-to-back games. "I think the body in general is a little sore - everything except my knee. So that was a positive. Surprisingly, I actually felt pretty good out there for a back-to-back. It sucks we didn't win any [games this weekend] but [it was] pretty good effort," he added.

After a minus-two on the stat sheet Friday night in Rochester in a 3-2 overtime loss, Gostisbehere wasn't on the ice for any goals against Saturday in Syracuse. With Phantoms goalie Kirill Ustimenko pulled late in the third period, Gostisbehere recorded a primary assist on Carsen Twarynski's goal at the net-front on Lehigh Valley's lone goal in a 2-1 regulation loss to the Crunch.

"First game was a little rough, not playing for a month and a bit there," Gostisbehere recalled of Friday's game. "It was pretty tough." I think [in the] second game I felt pretty good, making plays and just doing the things I do."

What happens next for Gostisbehere remains unclear, as his conditioning stint coming to an end means he will return to Philadelphia as Monday's 3 p.m. ET NHL trading deadline looms large.

His name has been at the forefront of the Flyers' trade deadline plans, and when asked again about trade deadline and if he couldn't wait until it was over Gostisbehere's initial response was a pretty typical hockey response - but used sincerely.

"For sure."

"It's your life so obviously a little nail biting here and there but, you know, you obviously can't focus on it you just have to do your job and whatever is in your control and stick with it."