On the Ice with Isaac: Andrej Meszaros Trying to Stay Healthy

PHILADELPHIA — Three games remain in the Flyers’ preseason schedule, and defenseman Andrej Meszaros couldn’t be happier for an opportunity to show he can still play.

He isn’t trying to prove to the Flyers that he can be productive. He wants to prove to himself that he can stay healthy enough to remain in the lineup.

“I want to play a couple of games,” said Meszaros, who missed all but 11 games last year with a shoulder injury that he reaggravated, tearing his left rotator cuff. “Hopefully I’ll play at least two if not three. That would be great. It’s going to be a good test for me, to see where I’m at.”

The usually physical defenseman with an offensive touch had only two assists and 18 hits last season. In the past two years he’s also suffered a torn Achilles and needed back surgery. Once owning a 298-game ironman streak, the 27-year-old defenseman is hoping to ignore the flashbacks to injury and just play.

“It’s not easy, but I’m not thinking about it,” said the 6-foot-2, 221-pound defenseman. “I’m just trying to play out there and do my job. It was a tough year and a half, but it’s behind me now. It’s over and I’m just looking ahead now.”

Meszaros took the trip up to Canada for his first two preseason games and made an impression on Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, who understands if there was any hesitance in the defenseman after all the injuries.