Atkinson underwent neck surgery in December and missed the entire 2022-23 campaign.
It's the dead of summer, but the Philadelphia Flyers will be gearing up for training camp before we know it. In preparation for the preseason, we've created the Summer Sampler series, in which we'll be analyzing every key player on the Flyers roster. We'll assess where each player stands ahead of the 2023-24 season and project what their respective roles will be for the upcoming campaign. Stay tuned throughout the summer for each Flyer's individual evaluation in the lead-up to training camp.
As Danny Briere continues the process of identifying who will (and won't) be part of the next competitive Flyers team, he'll have some tough decisions to make regarding several of his more experienced veteran players. One of those veteran players is forward Cam Atkinson, who has historically been a consistent, reliable top-six winger. But given his age and lack of involvement during the 2022-23 season, the two-time All-Star's future in Philadelphia is murky at best.
How did Atkinson perform in 2022-23? After a strong 23-goal, 50-point season in 2021-22, Atkinson was expected to continue seeing heavy ice time as one of the Flyers' top point producers in 2022-23. However, Atkinson ended up missing the entire 2022-23 season due to a herniated disc in the C6-C7 area of his spine. He underwent surgery in December and is on track to return in time for the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
What should fans expect from Atkinson in 2023-24? Much like Sean Couturier, who also missed the entire 2022-23 season, it's difficult to predict how effective Atkinson will be in 2023-24. A year-long absence can dramatically impact a player's on-ice efficiency, and it's impossible to gauge when (or if) Atkinson will return to his pre-surgery form.
If he does, though, there's no doubting the potential impact he can make for the Flyers.
Atkinson spent six years playing under Flyers head coach John Tortorella during their time together with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Atkinson not only ended up winning over Tortorella in Columbus, but became one of his go-to contributors in just about every imaginable scenario, be it at 5-on-5, the power play, or penalty kill. Atkinson still hasn't played a game under Tortorella as a Flyer, but one can reasonably assume Tortorella will trust him to take on similar assignments when they do officially reunite on the bench this season.
What does Atkinson need to prove? Atkinson has established himself as a respected, effective NHLer, but he still has a lot to prove going into the 2023-24 season. Not only does he need to show he can return to his pre-neck surgery form after missing all of the 2022-23 campaign, but he also needs to prove he belongs with the Flyers as they navigate through their rebuild — if he even wants to stick around for the rebuild.
Atkinson has two years remaining on his contract, which carries an annual cap hit of $5.875 million. However, at 34 years old, his time to chase a Stanley Cup title could be running out. Assuming he can revert back to his old self as a consistent point producer, it may not be completely out of the question that the Flyers would consider shopping him at the trade deadline in order to obtain future assets or additional draft capital.
Of course, Atkinson said all the right things at the end of last season — not exactly a shock given his status as one of the unquestioned leaders in the Flyers locker room. He has his sights set on not only making his long-awaited return in 2023-24, but also helping the young players further develop as the Flyers look to right the ship.
"I know this is a huge summer for me, and I want to be part of the solution, and I'm gonna push myself more than ever," Atkinson told the media during his exit interview in April.
"Seeing these young guys obviously take a step — some guys take a huge step forward only fuels me to obviously push myself and push the young guys. I don't think we're as far off as people think, especially if guys are healthy."