Photo Credit: Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
After undergoing his first full practice at Flyers morning skate yesterday. This was the first time in some time that Sean Couturier was on the ice with his teammates. Couturier was wearing a yellow no-contact practice jersey, he felt pretty good afterwards, “The goal ever since I have gotten surgery was to come back this year,” Couturier said following morning skate. “Here we are getting closer, maybe get a practice in by the end of the week, and go from there.”
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A 30-year-old standout in Sean Couturier has proved to the entire league that he’s a force to be reckoned with, when healthy. That’s just it went healthy as he hasn’t suited up in the game since December 3, 2020 against the Ottawa Senators. Coots is the heart and soul of this young Flyers team, and without his services it really depletes this team down the middle. There was no doubt he was the MVP of the team in 2020-21, and it might be because is no stranger to playing through pain.
I’m pushing as hard as I can here. I’m trying get back this year, and get some games in.” – Sean Couturier said on 3-14-2023
John Tortorella still thinks he’ll be ready for next season, but he understands why Couturier would like to get into some games this season. Tortorella doesn’t want to hype up his expectations so he says, “No (To playing this season), haven’t even thought about it.” This is a good way to operate if you are the coach of the Flyers. If he hypes up the expectations of him playing in a handful of games towards the latter parts of the season, and it doesn’t happen then Tortorella has to do damage control as to why it did not occur. With him saying this above, it would come as no shock if he did not play, regardless of how Couturier feels at this time.
Couturier played through a torn in MCL in games five and six versus the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2018 playoffs, and he mustered four goals and two assists in those aforementioned games. Unfortunately, he had back revisionary surgery on October 27 in Dallas, Texas, and has been out ever since (February/March return):
“I want to get the feel of the game, and knowing going into the Summer getting back to the level of where I need to be, and not just rehabbing.” – Sean Couturier said as the main reason he wants to return this season
The dark days of rehab, and not knowing what was coming tomorrow seem to be behind Couturier for once. For once, he was smiling and was happy. He takes nothing for granted, anymore, and he did admit at times sometimes people take stuff for granted so this adversity kind of puts it in perspective.
Coots missed a large part of last season, which turned out to be a season ending injury. He underwent successful back surgery and wound up missing the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign. Couturier was sidelined from December 29 and has yet to play a meaningful hockey game since. It was labeled as an ‘Upper-body” injury by the Flyers, but Couturier ended up having surgery to not further delay his possible return.
Accountability is a missing element from Couturier on and off the ice. This was a strong word that was used for the Flyers before the 2022-23 season began. Couturier is no stranger to holding himself accountable, and that rubs off on his teammates, as well.
Couturier plays in all situations and does them well. The Flyers closed the first month of the season out with a 5-2-1 record, but most knew this wasn’t sustainable without the services of Couturier and Cam Atkinson for an extended period of time, and of of course now their best play driving forward in Travis Konecny. Things have changed in the organization since he assigned his contract, forever remains committed to the team, “Definitely not the situation envisioning when I signed, but here we are that’s the business of the NHL,” says Couturier. “Things can go pretty quick in this league. I’ll do my best to get this team back on track as soon as possible.”
