For the first time in a decade, an NHL captain was a healthy scratch – outside of resting for the playoffs – when Philadelphia Flyers captain Sean Couturier was removed from the lineup for Philly's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday.
The Flyers won the game 4-3, earning two crucial points as they maintained their third-place standing in the Metropolitan Division. The first few questions during head coach John Tortorella's postgame press conference were understandably about his decision to bench Couturier. Tortorella, understandably in his own right, kept things in-house and quickly established he was not going to discuss it with the media.
“I'm putting the players out on the ice to win a particular game, and these were the 20 that we decided to go with,” Tortorella said, per Jackie Spiegel.
Couturier said he was “frustrated” with the way he's been treated on Tuesday, but understands that his game is not at the level it should be right now.
The Flyers named Couturier – their longest-tenured active player – the 20th captain in franchise history on Feb. 14. The 12-year veteran has three points (all assists) in 14 games since.
Tortorella walking fine line with Couturier decision
Couturier's lack of production is the sole reason why he was scratched. Tortorella said Tuesday before the game that he doesn’t care who the player is, he wants to put the best lineup on the ice to win that particular game.
Couturier's struggles date back to before the new year. Since Dec. 28, 2023, the Flyers center has two goals and 11 assists in 33 games. He had 23 points in 31 games before that stretch.
The Flyers can’t afford any slip-ups this time of year so it's easy to see why Tortorella would bench a player who isn’t performing well. When that player is wearing the “C” on his chest though, it raises plenty more questions than answers.
John Tortorella has a right to keep things between him and Sean Couturier, just as Couturier has a right to be frustrated about the situation and how it was handled. The next chapter of this story could be nothing, or there's a chance it could derail the Flyers season.
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