Sean Couturier was born in Phoenix, AZ and moved to Canada at a very young age. His father had taken a job as the general manager for the Acadie Bathurst Titans of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Couturier started out playing for Drummondville Voltigeurs in the 2008-2009 season. He helped the team win their first President’s Cup in the 2009-2010 season. Couturier led the QMJHL in points the following year. However, he had come down with mono and played less games but still managed to tally 96 game points with playing ten less games.
Sean Couturier became a Flyer during the 2011-2012 season. His first year he had 27 points with 13 goals and 14 assists. He did not do as well the following year. However, he bounced back in the 2013-2014 season. As a matter of fact, in 2014 the city of Bathurst named a street after Couturier. He was quoted as saying “It’s special, it’s a great honour,” he said. “It’s not something you dream of growing up, but if you can be an example for other young kids and remind them even coming from a small town like Bathurst, anything is possible if you make the sacrifices and believe in what you can do.”
It was during his first playoffs that Couturier was tasked with shutting down Evengi Malkin and Sidney Crosby which he did flawlessly. Jarimor Jagr had said that he had never seen anyone that good defensively at such a young age. He called Sean Couturier the best defensive forward at age 18, 19. Couturier has always played smart. He has an awareness of the puck’s position. He knows where to skate and dose not over skate. Couturier seems to be in the right place at the right time which is a skill that is not learned. He makes ice hockey look easy. I remember thinking that he had to have been born holding a hockey stick.
In November of 2017, Dave Hakstol put Sean Couturier on the first line with Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek. Giroux was moved to the wing. It had an amazing result. They were the top line leading the team with nine goals and came in second with fifteen points. On March 20, 2018 he recorded his 100th point, being the 7th player from his draft class to do so.
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Sean Couturier’s stats soared high. During the 2017-2018 season he had 31 goals, 45 assists for a total of 76 game points. The following season he had 33 goals, 43 assists for a total of 76 game points. And in the abbreviated current season, he had 22 goals, 59 assists for a total of 59 game points. Sean Couturier started racking up awards. He was awarded the Gene Hart Memorial, Pelle Lindberg Memorial and Yanik Dupree Class Guy Award in 2018. He was awarded the Gene Hart Memorial again in 2019.
It really is no wonder that Sean Couturier had won Selke. The real question is why on Earth did it take so long for the world to catch up and see he is beyond a worthy candidate for that honor.
