Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Are Officially Cursed: Sean Couturier Is Again Injured
The Philadelphia Flyers were counting on Sean Couturier, who missed most of last season because of back surgery, to lead a revival in 2022-23.
Ain’t happening.
The Flyers’ top-line center is sidelined with what Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher called an upper-body injury on Monday. It is believed to be related to his surgically repaired back.
He will be re-evaluated during training camp and is considered week to week. It sounds like he will be out for a while.
If Couturier is sidelined, Kevin Hayes would become the No. 1 center, and Scott Laughton would probably be the 2C. He was expected to be the second-line left winger. Morgan Frost, Patrick Brown and Tanner Laczynski would compete for the other center spots. Artem Anisimov, 34, who will be in camp on a PTO contract, is another option.
This team is officially cursed.
Injuries played a huge part in the Philadelphia Flyers’ ugly 2021-22 season. In the summer, Joel Farabee and Bobby Brink were injured while working out, and goalie Ivan Fedotov was lost to the Russian military. In addition, defenseman Ryan Ellis (pelvic injury) is still sidelined and is not expected to be ready any time soon. And the lack of cap space prevented Philly from making a big splash in the free-agent and trade markets.
The race for the right to draft center Connor Bedard, a generational player, is starting to look like less of a long shot.
You are among a long line of folks who believe the curse is for real. @NHLFlyers https://t.co/LD0iZ8WLMi
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) September 19, 2022
Per Elliotte Friedman, the Flyers are seeking a second opinion to determine the exact nature of Couturier’s injury, which is is the same area as his previous back issues. There is not yet certainty that it’s the same injury, but it sure sounds related.
Anthony SanFilippo of Crossing Broad said he was told it was a herniated disc in Couturier’s back.
Couturier had back surgery in February. He met with the media last week and said he felt 100 percent healthy and was “ready to go.” He also said the Flyers had cleared him to play two weeks ago, and that he felt “back to normal.”
He had been skating at the Flyers’ Voorhees practice facility, but he suffered a setback since he addressed the media. That setback will probably sideline him for a while, and it could prevent the Philadelphia Flyers from naming him captain.
Couturier, 29, is in the first season of an eight-year, $62 million contract that has an annual cap hit of $7.75 million, the highest on the team.
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I give up.
The curse began when the WOKESTERS in the Flyers decided to cancel Kate Smith!
It’s a statue. Did it HELP when the Red Wings destroyed Lindros in the Cup? Or when the Oilers beat Tocchet and boys twice in the late 1980s? Did Kate stop the puck when Kane ruined our Cup against Chicago, then lost Pronger, then traded Richards and Carter?
May or may not have helped when the Flyers won back to back cups?!?!?!? Bottom line is…. G o woke and go broke!! There were ZERO reasons to remove that statue. ZERO!
Sam, is there ANY actual news on Ellis? I mean, the fans deserve an explanation or update. This practice of the team hiding an injury to a “star” top player is getting old.
Damn it, and I thought Coots was gonna have a big year, guess not.
We draft players that a lot of team scouts like. our player development/developers are awful and they have been for years!! We haven’t developed a player that’s worth much since, well Coots. I usually catch a couple games in different states during a given year, probably not this year. I’ll probably just check out the eagles instead. I sure hope management knows that a bunch of life long fans are close to completely giving up!!
Big left handle, Ellis is done! Have you ever seen a player in any sport be unavailable this long with no real explanation or specifics on an injury? Pro athletes are never out this long with no progress. He hasn’t even had surgery!!
Howie really redeemed himself, I don’t envision Fletcher duplicating howie’s redemption!!
Glad to see that Chuck made the moves in the offseason taking into the health of Coots and that other guy. Such a forward-thinker to plan for these contingencies.
Only way to go is ‘up’.
For the Very Easily Offended… the above was an attempt at satire.
Losing Coots is a MAJOR Hit to the Flyers; on and off the ice. I thought the Flyers were going to have to struggle mightily just to keep their collective heads above water with a HEALTHY Line Up. NOW? One bright spot: it will give the kids on the Team a strong chance to play; and maybe move up in next years Draft. Other than that; its going to be a very bleak Season in Philadelphia.