Flyers’ Captain Sean Couturier called the team “soft” at times after their 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night.
In his port-game comments, Couturier said: “At times this year we’re, you know, soft. I would say not hard on battles, and we lose battles easily. It’s one thing to make mistakes and not win a battle. If you’re in there trying hard and stuff, then it’s different.” He added that the team needs to increase its physicality and competing level, calling it “a men’s game” and emphasizing winning one-on-one battles. He also says the Flyers need more desperation.
Couturier scored his first goal of the season in the game (a deflection) and was one of the better Flyers performers, but the team was outworked along the walls and in battles. The comments stood out because “soft” is a strong word in hockey—especially from a Captain—and reporters noted he is typically more of a lead-by-example guy than one who delivers blunt public criticism. Other voices in the locker room (including Nick Seeler) also questioned effort and mindset after the loss.
This comes early in a struggling 2026-27 season for the Flyers. These remarks make one believe that the locker room is a mess right now. In the past few years, the Flyers have always prided themselves on having a great room, so what has happened this year?
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