Philadelphia Flyers Captain Returns to Lineup
Philadelphia Flyers’ captain, Sean Couturier, is set to return to the team’s lineup against the Boston Bruins after sitting out two games as a healthy scratch, as confirmed by the team.
Couturier, who was appointed captain just over a month ago, was sidelined for the games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes. Head coach John Tortorella, known for his bold moves, kept quiet about the situation when questioned on Thursday.
When pressed about what he expects from Couturier moving forward, Tortorella abruptly dismissed the inquiry, stating, “I’m not discussing Sean.”
Prior to his healthy scratch, Tortorella had expressed concerns about Couturier’s performance, even benching him during the Flyers’ previous match against the Bruins. Couturier had notably limited ice time of only 11 minutes and 10 seconds during that game, significantly below his average of 18 minutes and 36 seconds per game this season.
Although Couturier has amassed 11 goals and 36 points in 64 games this season, he has not scored in his last 15 games, registering only four assists during that stretch. Notably, he secured the Selke Trophy, recognizing the league’s top defensive forward, just four years ago.
The 31-year-old endured a setback in his career, missing most of the 2021-22 season and the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to a back injury.
Couturier, who was selected by the Flyers with the eighth overall pick in 2011, has accumulated 721 games, 180 goals, and 280 assists, totaling 460 points over his tenure with the team.
The Flyers currently hold the third spot in the Metropolitan Division with 78 points in the standings, narrowly ahead of the Washington Capitals by only three points in the race for a playoff spot.
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