John Tortorella Healthy Scratches Philadelphia Flyers Captain Sean Couturier Once Again
Photo credit: Hockeysverige
Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella is well known for his tough coaching style, treating all players equally regardless of their reputation or salary. This was evident when he benched Sean Couturier, the recently appointed team captain, in Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
According to
TSN, it seems Couturier will once again be sidelined for tonight's match against the Carolina Hurricanes.
When asked if Couturier would return to the lineup, Tortorella avoided the question, emphasizing his focus on the team's performance rather than individual players.
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"I'm not talking about Sean," Tortorella said midway through a question on what he'd need to see from Couturier if he dresses.
Couturier, who became captain on February 14, was scratched along with veterans Cam Atkinson and Marc Staal in the Flyers 4-3 victory over the Maple Leafs.
Travis Sanheim commented post-game, highlighting the team's commitment to winning amid the playoff race, despite Couturier's absence.
«Obviously, he's our captain but we have a job to do and a game to play and we are in the thick of the playoff race right now, so our focus is on winning hockey games,»
Couturier, signed through 2029-30 with a cap hit of $7.75 million, expressed understanding of the decision, mentioning a brief conversation with Tortorella but receiving minimal feedback on areas for improvement.
"Somewhat, but it doesn't matter honestly what I think," Couturier said. "Just gotta leave my ego aside, I guess, and hopefully the team finds a way to get a win here tonight, and I can get back into it soon."
Although Couturier has 11 goals and 36 points in 64 games this season, his recent performance has been lackluster, with just one assist in his last nine games.
General manager Daniel Briere affirmed Tortorella's approach, emphasizing equal treatment for all players, regardless of their stature.
"I can tell you one thing - with John Tortorella, it doesn't matter who it is. That's what he's known for. He treats everybody the same way," Briere said.
With the playoff race heating up, the Flyers maintain a three-point lead over the Washington Capitals for third place in the Metropolitan Division, despite having played one more game.
Previously on PuckReporter
| POLL |
21 MARS | 59 ANSWERS John Tortorella Healthy Scratches Philadelphia Flyers Captain Sean Couturier Once Again Do you agree with this decision by John Tortorella? |
| Yes | 35 | 59.3 % |
| No | 24 | 40.7 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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