Sean Couturier is back, but could It be the difference for the Flyers this season?

PHILADELPHIA PA - After suffering a severe back injury just weeks into the 2021-22 season, Flyers centerman Sean Couturier has finally been cleared by team doctors.

Couturier, 29, has annually been one of the Flyers top scorers and a franchise figurehead since joining the team in the 2011 draft.

It was clear to see the already struggling Flyers were now directionless after losing Couturier. And after ranking among the bottom of the league through the first half of the season, the Flyers firesale began. As they traded away players such as Justin Braun, Derrick Brassard, Connor Bunnaman, and most notably longtime captain Claude Giroux. This left a young Flyers squad to fend for themselves through the second half of the year.

It’s pretty safe to say they didn’t do the best of jobs as the Flyers would finish with one of the worst records in Hockey and dead last in the ultra-competitive Metro-Divison. However, in the offseason team brass such as Chuck Fletcher did not do much to relinquish the team of older players and large contracts. Instead, he did quite the contrary, signing veteran Tony DeAngelo along with other vets to fill in depth roles.

All this being considered begs the question of what the Orange and Black are planning on doing. Players and management have been clear on their intent to be a “winning team” and to “turn it around” this season. But the Flyers offseason moves or the lack thereof have made for a head-scratcher of a situation for fans and media alike.

The Flyers star Center will now return to a nearly entire new squad than the one he left in December of last season. And while there is no doubt that Couturier won’t continue to be the electric player he once was, god knows how this jumble of players the Flyers have assembled will work around him.

Before going down in late December of last season, Sean Couturier was riding his usual high with 17 points in just 29 games the 2020 Selke winner was keeping a struggling Flyers squad just above the water. But as I said before almost in unison with the injury to Couturier the Flyers season would go from bad to terrible in a matter of a few games.

There is doubt that Couturier makes this team better, but can he be the game changer? Can Coots be the difference between the bottom of the Met and a playoff spot? That is what makes this season and Sean Couturier’s return all that much more interesting.

Expectations for the Flyers in Philadelphia and around the Hockey world are lower than ever coming into this season. But the return of Sean Couturier plus some of the new additions and upcoming youngsters could possibly put the Flyers on the map as one of Hockey’s surprise teams this season. Now, all we can do is wait and see…

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