VOORHEES, N.J. — One issue the Flyers didn’t have to concern themselves with coming out of training camp was a handful of players sitting as healthy scratches.



They began the season having to avoid tough roster decisions because they had two players suspended — Brayden Schenn and Radko Gudas — and two injured — Scott Laughton and Michael Del Zotto.



Yet as the Flyers got healthy and regained players, coach Dave Hakstol initiated the delicate task of juggling his lineup to get all players involved.



Someone has to sit. Lately among the healthy forwards that someone has been Nick Cousins, who was scratched for the fourth time this season during Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Red Wings.



Indications from Hakstol on Wednesday is that Cousins, who has missed two straight games, will return to the lineup for Friday night’s encounter in Toronto.



Yet that doesn’t make it any easier on the 23-year-old swing forward, who has been a consistently good player on the roster since joining the team as a call-up last season.



“Your guess is as good as mine,” Cousins said about Hakstol’s rotation. “I honestly don’t know what is going on here. It sucks watching. You never want to see your team lose.



“It’s tough to watch up there [press box], tough mentally. Especially, when you feel you are playing well. I felt the last five, six games I played was probably some of my best hockey of the year, and even going back to last year.”



Cousins has gotten some emotional support from teammates and assistant coach Ian Laperriere. He also spoke to Hakstol over the weekend in Montreal.



Know this: Cousins’ benching has zero to do with his on-ice performance. It’s about numbers and the issue probably won’t go away once Scott Laughton returns from a conditioning assignment, unless he is sent to the Phantoms outright.



How Hakstol handles this situation has long-term consequences. You don’t want to lose a young player mentally or destroy the little amount of confidence he’s built. This is Cousins’ first full NHL season.



“Nick is pretty tough mentally,” Hakstol said. “He’s a high-level competitor. He works hard every day on the ice. Preparation-wise, I know that physically he will be ready to go.



“I think mentally it is important for him not to be out for too long a time of period. That can start wearing on your overall confidence level.”



Cousins has floated between the third and fourth line when playing. He brings an edge to his game, seems to be involved in anything physical on the ice and despite not playing on special teams, earns his 13:32 minutes of ice time.



Although he has just one goal and four points in 10 games, Cousins brings a consistent effort every shift and is noticeable on the ice.



“He needs to come back into our lineup,” Hakstol said. “He’s played well, he’s done a good job. He didn’t come out of the lineup due to poor performance.”



The key to understanding Hakstol’s methodology with Cousins is when he says he is “mentally tough.” That implies Cousins has the temperament to handle a healthy scratch benching better than others.

Perhaps better than say, another young player such as Roman Lyubimov, who is still learning English and is spending his first season in the NHL trying to adjust to the North American game from what he was used to playing in Russia.



Lyubimov sat three of the first four games to start the season and Hakstol fretted he didn’t want him sitting too long.



Cousins admits there will be a certain amount of pressure on him in his next game to show the coaching staff something while not making mistakes that might give Hakstol a reason to sit him again.



“Yeah, when you’re playing like that, afraid to make mistakes, you are hesitant and that is not what you want,” Cousins said. “At the same time, there is a lot of competition here. Luby is playing well for us.”



His time should come this weekend and when it does, Cousins says his frame of mind won’t vary.



“I will go play my game and play the same way,” he said. “With lots of energy. That is all you can ask for. You can control what you can control and that is what I am doing, so far.”