The Philadelphia Flyers are planning to scratch team captain Sean Couturier, per The Athletic’s Charlie O’Connor (Twitter Link). The scratching comes one month after Couturier was awarded the captaincy – becoming the team’s first captain since Claude Giroux’s reign ended in the 2021-22 season.
The Flyers also recalled forward Olle Lycksell and defenseman Adam Ginning on Monday, with both players expected to now slot into the lineup – Lycksell ahead of Couturier and Ginning ahead of Marc Staal.
Philadelphia will hope to find a spark with these moves, after an unconvincing 4-6-1 stretch over their last 11 games. They’ve been outscored 32-to-42 in that span, with Couturier managing just three assists. Lycksell will replace him, after recording one goal and six points over his last two AHL games. The 24-year-old winger has appeared in nine NHL games already this season, netting three assists. The appearances bring his career totals up to four assists in 17 games, though he’s still searching for his first NHL goal.
Ginning has also appeared in the NHL this season – stepping into the lineup on March 7th for a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers. It was the second NHL game of Ginning’s career, with the stout defender managing two penalty minutes, a -1, three blocks, and seven hits in the pair of matchups. He’s still searching for his first NHL point. Ginning has been a consistent piece in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ lineup, where he’s totaled two goals, 13 points, and 82 penalty minutes in 56 games this season.
This is the first healthy scratch designation that Couturier has carried in quite some time, though it calls back to John Tortorella’s scratching of Kevin Hayes in December of last season. Philadelphia experienced a 6-3 loss without Hayes in the lineup, returning him to his usual role in the subsequent game. The Flyers will hope for better fortunes this time, as Tortorella is once again leaving a seemingly top-name out of the lineup.
Torts can’t help himself. This does not sit well with me.
The exact moment Torts decided to scratch Coots for the next game occurred at 4:04 of Period 3 vs Bruins on Sat night.
Threw a muffin clearing attempt right up the middle of his own zone, quickly resulting in a turnover, then a goal by Jake DeBrusk. Was the Bruins’ 3rd goal in a row, all within less than 3 minutes of each other.
Tortorella is one of the top 5 coaches.
Not always. Remember the Canucks?
Sends a terrible message to the team. Love Tortorella, but this is a bad call. Never scratch a captain.
Maybe the captain should be making an example himself, instead of being made an example of. Maybe (especially) as a new captain, he should be playing better.
Maybe he shouldn’t be the captain then. Sending the message that your captain isn’t good enough will have every guy on that team questioning their job. That will lead to guys playing to stay in the lineup and not playing to win. There’s a big difference there.
or perhaps every player on the roster should know that they’re spot isn’t untouchable, top players should be held accountable for their poor plays too, great way to set an example
Didn’t he miss all last season? I would expect some ups and downs throughout the year for him working to get his game back. If it is for lack of effort, then fine! If not…Everyone goes through slumps.
yeah he did, but he is healthy now and is a top player on the team, theres no excuses at the top level, fortunately it paid off as they beat the Bruins 3-2
what a garbage organization
I must be seeing things because no way a Devils fan, the organization who celebrates Scott Stevens who ended Eric Lindros and Paul Kariya’s careers with dirty hits, is calling the Flyers garbage over a benching.
I wish the Kings had the walnuts to scratch PLD! But, I guess his play has improved the past month or so to justify him being a 3rd line player. $8.6 mil x 8 years! Next year he will be making more than everyone except Doughty!
Torts has done sweet f*@k all in 20 years. He has made it past the 1st round twice in that time. So overrated. He thinks he is more important than the game.