VOORHEES, N.J. -- Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall understands he might have a bit of a math problem with his defense when training camp opens Sept. 17.

The Flyers have eight defensemen on NHL contracts, and five prospects who will be fighting for roster spots.

That doesn't include any players the Flyers might bring into camp on professional tryout contracts.

"We've talked to a couple guys," Hextall said Thursday. "Whether it happens or not, I really don't know. ... We've certainly had an eye on it. We've got feelers out on a couple guys."

Montreal Canadiens goaltending prospect Zachary Fucale is finally ready to embark on his professional career after four seasons and 204 games played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

"Yeah, it was a couple of games, but it was the best time," Fucale said this week at the NHL Players' Association Rookie Showcase in Toronto. "I got an opportunity in Halifax when I was 16 and I'm happy the coaches had the confidence to send me in there night after night. I learned a lot with some pretty awesome players, some great teams, and I had some pretty good opportunities. So I'm grateful for that."

The kind of opportunity given to Fucale to jump right in and play 58 games for the Halifax Mooseheads as a rookie is not likely to come from the Canadiens any time soon.

Montreal goaltender Carey Price is coming off a historic season in which he won the Vezina Trophy, Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and William Jennings Trophy. At age 28 and with three seasons remaining on his contract, Price is not likely to leave the Canadiens crease in the near future.

Veteran defenseman Cory Sarich is hoping to make an NHL return in 2015-16 after missing all of last season recovering from a cycling accident.

"I'm doing well," Sarich, who turned 37 on Aug. 16, told the Calgary Herald on Tuesday. "Everything is back to normal. Conditioning-wise I feel great. Overall health is fantastic."

He had one goal and 10 points in 54 games for the Colorado Avalanche in 2013-14. Sarich spent the previous six seasons with the Calgary Flames.

Sarich was injured July 21, 2014, when, according to the Herald, he tried to avoid a pickup truck that turned in front of his bicycle. He slid under the truck on his stomach and sustained five cracked vertebrae when the truck ran over him. He also sustained burns on his shoulder and wrist from the truck's muffler, a swollen left arm and leg, a large laceration on his head, and a serious case of road rash. He also dealt with a knee injury and had a staph infection in his elbow that required another hospital stay.

TORONTO -- Jack Eichel, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, was among a group of prospects at the NHL Players' Association Rookie Showcase on Monday.

Eichel spoke with NHL.com about his offseason training, the challenge of cracking the Buffalo Sabres lineup and being linked with No. 1 pick Connor McDavid:

TORONTO -- It's been a long summer for the prospects looking to fulfill a lifelong dream and reach the NHL this fall.

But that wait came to an end Monday. At least it felt that way.

The National Hockey League Players' Association invited 39 NHL prospects and rookies here for the two-day NHLPA Rookie Showcase.

"It definitely felt more like summer yesterday than it did today," Columbus Blue Jackets forward prospect Sonny Milano said. "Now it feels like the season's kind of starting up."

The event included prospects from 26 of the NHL's 30 teams, including the top two picks in the 2015 NHL Draft, No. 1 Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and No. 2 Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres.

"It's starting," Montreal Canadiens goaltending prospect Zachary Fucale said. "These things like this, it's good to be around some old teammates and some of the guys I played with at the World Juniors, and I played against a lot of the guys here. So it's good to talk to some of the guys about that."

TORONTO -- Connor McDavid, the top pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and the most celebrated player to enter the League since Sidney Crosby in 2005, was among a group of prospects that gathered at the Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto for the NHL Players Association Rookie Showcase on Monday.

McDavid spoke with NHL.com about what to expect in his first season with the Edmonton Oilers and the role confidence plays in his game:

Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said he is ready to help them rebound after they failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in eight seasons.

Chara, 38, was limited to 63 games because of knee and ankle injuries last season. After an informal skate Monday at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington, Mass., he told CSN New England on Monday that he is healthy heading into the season, his 18th.

"I'm feeling better and that's the most important thing," Chara said. "I didn't do any extreme traveling stuff [during the summer]. I stayed with family and focused on recovering from the injuries I had toward the end of the season."

Valeri Nichushkin had high expectations for himself and the Dallas Stars last season but missed most of the season because of an injury. Now healthy and ready for training camp, Nichushkin has one goal.

"I just want my team to play good," Nichushkin told the Stars website. "I don't think about my statistics. I just want to win the Stanley Cup. Of course, if I score goals and get points it will help my team. That's only what I want."

Nichushkin played two games in October and two games in November because of pain in his hip and groin. He had surgery Nov. 18 and was out for five months. He returned for four games in April, and finished the season with one assist in eight games.

ST. LOUIS -- After getting traded to the St. Louis Blues on July 2, right wing Troy Brouwer wanted to quickly get acclimated with his new teammates and city.

Acquired from the Washington Capitals with goalie prospect Pheonix Copley and a third-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft for right wing T.J. Oshie, Brouwer also felt it was best to get his family situated, especially because his wife, Carmen, is due to deliver the couple's second child.

"You don't want to waste any time," Brouwer said Sunday. "You're trying to know people's names, trying to find your way around the city. Aside from having a baby here in the next couple days, we wanted to come in a little early but also wanted to come in and make sure you have that familiarity so that when the season does start there's no problems. You're already in the full swing of things, know everybody's names, know your way around town, and are comfortable first and foremost."

EDMONTON -- The past two seasons were excruciatingly long for Buffalo Sabres center Tyler Ennis. But he said when it comes to complete rebuilds, this one could be extremely short.

"It seemed like a really long two years, but in the grand scheme of things it could be pretty quick," Ennis said following a session at Vancouver Canucks assistant coach Perry Pearn's 3-on-3 Hockey Camp here. "It might not be as long as you think, but those 160 games felt like 10 years. But there is still lots to improve on. It's not just going to happen on its own. We have to have guys commit to the areas we need to improve on. We're going to be better than last year but there is still a long way to go. But I really like the pieces and where we're headed."