Kings forward Jeff Carter talks (but only a little bit) about his return to Philadelphia

Kings forward Jeff Carter claimed his return to Philadelphia was “not a big deal.” But he sure seemed to be in a hurry to get there after the Kings’ 4-0 victory Saturday over the Florida Panthers at Staples Center, edging away from reporters who wanted to know more about his feelings for the City of Brotherly Love.

“It is what it is,” Carter said, relying on a very tired cliche. “It’s been three years since I left there. … It’s a big game for both teams. They’ve been playing really well and we’ve started to get things going, so it should be a lot of fun.”

Carter played with the Flyers from 2005-11, but because of scheduling quirks hasn’t played in Philadelphia until now. The Kings (40-25-6) have won two in a row after losing three in a row after winning eight in a row. The Flyers (38-25-7) have won five consecutive, including a 4-1 victory Saturday over the St. Louis Blues.

Philadelphia dealt Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a package of players and draft picks June 23, 2011. He played 39 games with the Blue Jackets before the Kings acquired him for defenseman Jack Johnson and a first-round draft pick Feb. 23, 2012. Carter then helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup championship in 2012-13. He was their leading goal-scorer last season and is again in 2013-14.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Digg Reddit Stumbleupon Tumblr Email