PHILADELPHIA — When Matt Read drove to Wells Fargo Center for the first day of camp Thursday morning, he thought he might meet a new teammate.

The Flyers had signed Daniel Cleary to a professional tryout. Had Cleary shown up, he likely would have been on Read’s opposite wing on a third line with Sean Couturier.

“He’s a good player, a hard-nosed player,” Read said. “Unfortunately, he went back to Detroit.”

The versatile winger hopes he doesn’t have similar drama surrounding him next year at camp. Read is in the last year of a three-year, $2.7 million contract. At age 27, this is his best chance for a big payday in the NHL.

“I would love to be a Flyer next year, but right now all I’m worried about is on the ice, getting ready and making sure I’m prepared every day for camp,” Read said.

His agent, Neil Sheehy, recently started talking with Flyers GM Paul Holmgren about an extension. Read led all NHL rookies in goals (24) two years ago and was fourth on the team in goals (11) last season, despite missing six games with cartilage damage in his rib cage.

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