Flyers' Sean Couturier: Two points including OT winner
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Couturier scored the game-winning goal in overtime and added an assist in Saturday's 4-3 victory over the Golden Knights.
Couturier's winner wasn't even intended to be a shot -- he tried to pass the puck to Travis Konecny in the low slot, only for it to take a funny hop and elude both Konecny and goalie Logan Thompson. Couturier extended his point streak to four games with the performance, and on the season the 30-year-old has four goals and 13 points through 15 contests.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Logs helper in win
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Couturier posted an assist in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Kings.
Couturier set up a Cam Atkinson insurance goal in the third period. This was Couturier's second point over three games since he returned from a lower-body injury. The center has played well in a top-line role so far, racking up 10 points, 25 shots on net and a plus-1 rating through 13 appearances.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Tallies opening goal in win
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Couturier scored a goal on two shots, added two PIM and went plus-2 in Friday's 6-3 win over the Ducks.
Couturier went four contests without a goal and also missed two games with an illness in that span. The 30-year-old center scored 4:57 into Friday's contest. The center is up to three goals, nine points, 24 shots on net and a plus-1 rating through 12 outings. He remains firmly in a top-line role with key minutes in all situations.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Good to go
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Couturier (lower body) will return to the lineup Tuesday versus San Jose.
Couturier is expected to return to his usual featured role skating on the top line and first power-play unit following his two-game absence. The 30-year-old forward has picked up two goals and eight points through 10 contests this campaign.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Won't return Saturday
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Couturier (lower body) isn't available for Saturday's game against LA, per Charlie O'Connor of PHLY Sports.
Couturier will miss his second straight contest due to the injury. He has two goals and eight points in 10 appearances this year. With Couturier out for Friday's 5-1 win over the Sabres, Scott Laughton logged a season-high 16:49 of ice time, including 1:49 with the man advantage. Laughton is likely to continue to serve in that role Saturday.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Suffers lower-body injury
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Couturier is day-to-day with a lower-body injury suffered Wednesday against the Sabres and won't play Friday against Buffalo.
The Flyers take on the Sabres in the back half of a home-and-home series Friday, but the team will be missing its top center. He has two goals and eight points in 10 games this season, quite an accomplishment since he missed the last season and a half recovering from two back surgeries.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Goal, assist in win
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Couturier logged a goal and an assist in Thursday's 6-2 win over Minnesota.
Both of Couturier's points came on the man advantage Thursday, first scoring a goal to extend Philadelphia's lead to 2-0 in the second period before adding an assist on Bobby Brink's tally later in the frame. After he was limited to just 29 games last year due to a back injury, Couturier's gotten off to a strong start this season, logging six points (two goals, four assists) through his first seven games as the Flyers' first-line center.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Two-point night Thursday
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Couturier notched two assists, one shorthanded, in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Oilers.
The oft-injured 30-year-old hasn't played 80 or more games in a season since 2018-19, but Couturier looks fully healthy to begin 2023-24, delivering a goal and four points in his first four games. He led all Flyers with 5:10 in ice time on the man advantage Thursday, and as long as he can stay in the lineup, Couturier could once again be a near point-a-game fantasy asset.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Good to go
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Couturier (undisclosed) will be in the lineup Tuesday versus Vancouver, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Couturier was not able to practice Monday due to an undisclosed injury, but it won't cost him any game time. He has earned one assist, three shots on goal, one blocked shot and two hits in two games this season. Couturier is projected to center Philadelphia's top line and work on the first power-play unit.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Dealing with undisclosed injury
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Couturier was unable to practice Monday, raising doubts regarding his availability versus Vancouver on Tuesday, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Other than saying Couturier's injury was unrelated to his previous back issue, head coach John Tortorella declined to go into further details regarding Couturier's status. Through the opening two games, the Arizona native has registered one assist, three shots on goal and two hits while averaging 20:20 of ice time, including 4:40 with the man advantage. If Couturier can't play Tuesday, Travis Konecny could be a candidate to move to center, rather than promoting Morgan Frost to the top line.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Done for season
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Couturier (back) has been shut down for the season, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
Couturier last played Dec. 18, 2021, having endured two back surgeries since then. Coach John Tortorella said that shutting Couturier down was a decision made by the medical staff, but it wasn't due to a setback. Couturier will try again at training camp in September.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Skates on his own Thursday
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Couturier (back) skated on his own Thursday, Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now reports.
Couturier last played on Dec. 18, 2021 as he has been sidelined for the last 15 months with back woes. He could return near the end of the season and this is his first step back towards that goal. Couturier had back-to-back 76-point seasons in the NHL, starting with the 2017-18 season. He had six goals and 17 points in 29 games last season before he was shut down.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: May return in late February
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Couturier (back) might be ready to return in late February or March, Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now reports.
Couturier was initially given a recovery timetable of 3-4 months following back surgery in late October. The Flyers expect him to start skating again soon. Couturier hasn't played yet this season after he was limited to 29 games in 2021-22.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Undergoes back surgery
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Couturier underwent back revision surgery Thursday and is expected to be out 3-4 months, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.
This is a big setback for the center, who hasn't played since Dec. 18, 2021 due to back woes. Couturier's scheduled to return at some point in February, barring any more setbacks. He mustered consecutive 76-point seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19, but at age 29, Couturier's best years are likely behind him.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Suffers setback in recovery
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Couturier (back) had started skating but suffered a setback according to coach John Tortorella on Thursday and will have to stop skating, Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now reports.
Couturier seems unlikely to return in the near term at this point and should probably be considered out indefinitely. After playing in just 29 games last season, the 29-year-old center is approaching a full calendar year without playing, having last logged an NHL contest back on Dec. 18, 2021 against Ottawa.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Won't need surgery
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Couturier (back) will not require surgery but is still considered week-to-week, Bill Meltzer of NHL.com reports Wednesday.
Couturier was limited to just 29 games last season and is once again expected to miss some time with reports indicating anywhere between 1-3 months. Without the veteran center in the lineup, Morgan Frost has been stepping into a first-line center role, though Kevin Hayes will likely almost be in the mix for that spot once the regular season begins.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Could return sooner than expected
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Couturier (back) could return within the next month if his rehab goes according to plan, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports reports.
Couturier should be considered out indefinitely until a more concrete outlook is available. The 29-year-old is dealing with back issues for the second straight season and while his current injury doesn't appear to be as serious as originally expected, the team may elect to ease him back into action to prevent re-injury.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Expected to miss extended time
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Couturier (back) is expected to miss at least the next three months with a herniated disc, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Couturier was limited to 29 games last season before undergoing season-ending back surgery. He was expected to be ready for the 2022-23 campaign before getting injured again during strength and conditioning drills. Friedman notes that the Flyers are seeking a second opinion and it's currently unclear if Couturier aggravated the previous injury or if this one is unrelated. He tallied six goals and 17 points before the injury last season. Per Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Couturier will be re-evaluated during training camp and is currently considered week-to-week.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Expected to be ready for 2022-23
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Couturier (back) is slated to be cleared to play Opening Night next season, Sam Carchidi of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Friday.
Couturier was limited to just 29 games this year before undergoing season-ending back surgery. In those contests, the Phoenix native managed to rack up six goals, 11 helpers and 79 shots. Barring any setbacks, Couturier should be capable of once again being a 40-plus-point producer.
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Flyers' Sean Couturier: Undergoes season-ending surgery
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Couturier underwent successful back surgery Friday and will miss the remainder of the 2021-22 campaign.
Couturier has been sidelined since Dec. 29 with what was previously labeled an upper-body injury, so the Flyers and he may have been hoping to avoid surgery, but with Philadelphia in last place in the Metropolitan division, there's no need to further delay the season-ending procedure. Couturier is expected to make a full recovery in approximately three months, so he should be back to 100 percent well ahead of next campaign's training camp. The 29-year-old forward will finish the 2021-22 season having totaled six goals, 17 points and 79 shots on net through 29 games.
