Flyers’ Read hopes health leads to better play

Many things have to happen for the Flyers to reach the playoffs this season, and Matt Read’s return to form is high on the list.

The veteran winger, bothered by a high ankle sprain for parts of last season, scored a career-low eight goals in 2014-15 14 fewer than the previous season.

Read is now healthy, and his quickness has returned.

“I’m 100 percent. I can’t wait for the season to start. Just put last year behind me and move forward,” he said after skating at the Flyers practice facility in Voorhees, N.J., on Friday a week before veterans officially start camp. “We have a new coach, and I’m very excited to start the season.”

Read played with the injury for a huge part of last season; he was in 80 of the team’s 82 games.

“It just kind of throws you off a half second,” he said of the ankle problem, “and you’re not getting involved or you’re not in the right spots for your linemates.”

The Flyers need a productive Read. They averaged just 2.59 goals per game last season, 21st in the 30-team NHL.

“I never want what happened last year to affect my career again,” Read said. “I worked extra hard this summer to be in the best shape I can, and I hope I can be a top-6 or top-9 forward in this organization and do a lot better job than last year. You only get so many opportunities, and if you don’t succeed, you never know what’s going to happen.”

Read, 29, said he worked out with a different trainer, Zack Rourk, in Minneapolis.

“He makes sure your body’s in tone first before you start lifting,” he said.

Read went through a strict weightlifting routine, ate more healthy foods “to try and change my energy levels,” and skated three or four times a week sometimes with NHL players such as the Rangers’ Derek Stepan and Winnipeg’s Drew Stafford.

All of the Flyers’ veterans have been skating in Voorhees, even though camp doesn’t begin until Friday. (Rookies will be on the ice Monday.)

“I think not making the playoffs last year, everyone’s got that vibe in the locker room” to redeem themselves, Read said. “Guys are all excited to be back and start the season off right. We’ve kind of had slow starts the last couple years. Everyone’s in good shape and just dying for the first puck to drop.”

Read’s said the birth of his daughter, Roen, now 6 months old, has made him “feel like a changed man all happy. You get a smile from her every time you see her and it brightens your mood or lightens your day, and it’s just a great feeling.”

(c)2015 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.philly.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.