Confirmed with Link: Sean Couturier named 20th captain in Flyers history

[CanadianFlyer88]

I find it stranger that they would name the leadership group and then immediately trade one of them. For a team promoting transparency and culture so heavily, you’re identifying these guys as players who have fully bought in and are the purveyors of that culture. What message does it send to subtract from that group?

The timing is just strange.

Torts was quite blatant that he wasn't naming a captain this season in his training camp remarks.

The guys in the room know who the leadership group is and the leaders don't need letters, especially not 60% through a season.

His reiteration of Laughton as a foundational piece just makes Laughton look more valuable to culture guy GMs needing a depth piece for a playoff run.

The whole thing is weird.

 

[Winston Wolf]

At this point, I'm just glad they didn't give Staal the C.

 

[Magua]

His reiteration of Laughton as a foundational piece just makes Laughton look more valuable to culture guy GMs needing a depth piece for a playoff run.

Are a lot of other GMs season ticket holders checking their e-mails? I really don't think they need to put in any work for that narrative -- it's already in place.

I have a hunch that the Flyers want to acquire a 1st through other means and ride it out with Laughton for the season. Then they'll explore a draft trade (maybe!). But dammit they need his culture for this playoff test run, and they want to do right by this foundational piece by letting him finish what he started. I feel like this is the simplest explanation, barring Briere being serious about having a price (probably too exorbitant) on everyone.

 

[CanadianFlyer88]

Are a lot of other GMs season ticket holders checking their e-mails? I really don't think they need to put in any work for that narrative -- it's already in place.

I have a hunch that the Flyers want to acquire a 1st through other means and ride it out with Laughton for the season. Then they'll explore a draft trade (maybe!). But dammit they need his culture for this playoff test run, and they want to do right by this foundational piece by letting him finish what he started. I feel like this is the simplest explanation, barring Briere being serious about having a price (probably too exorbitant) on everyone.

GMs don't need to be on an opposition's STH direct mailing list to pick the scuttlebutt in other organizations. This is a collection of men that took repeated headshots... in an era without helmets, in some cases. The more they hear what they want, the more narrow their thought processes become.

Torts hasn't been shy about professing his adoration for Laughton. Maybe they move Laughton, maybe they don't. The timing of this announcement is just weird, is all. The Flyers' brass talks a lot in public. They're approaching their first real test to back up their words with actions. It doesn't jive with me to make a cosmetic change when they've talked about taking a sledgehammer to load bearing pillars for the last eight months.

 

[mr4tno]

Are a lot of other GMs season ticket holders checking their e-mails? I really don't think they need to put in any work for that narrative -- it's already in place.

I have a hunch that the Flyers want to acquire a 1st through other means and ride it out with Laughton for the season. Then they'll explore a draft trade (maybe!). But dammit they need his culture for this playoff test run, and they want to do right by this foundational piece by letting him finish what he started. I feel like this is the simplest explanation, barring Briere being serious about having a price (probably too exorbitant) on everyone.

"I had a price and no one met it" would be disastrous especially on the heels of Fletcher's trade deadline fiasco. Of course, it is an easy cop out and screams Flyers....

 

[Curufinwe]

Eh, I think "disastrous" is what happened with the Risto trade and subsequent extension.

 

[Flyerfan4life]

Eh, I think "disastrous" is what happened with the Risto trade and subsequent extension.

LOL could you imagine extending Risto.

hahaaa peak onbrand

 

[Curufinwe]

Weird to make your 5C the captain.

 

[bennysflyers16]

I could see a top team trading for him after Couts demands a trade.

Flyers will retain like a million per and trade like a 4th for him seems like the Flyers way.

 

[freakydallas13]

Real captains watch their team win from the press box, we all know this.

 

[FromOyVey2Matvei]

I could see a top team trading for him after Couts demands a trade.

Flyers will retain like a million per and trade like a 4th for him seems like the Flyers way.

Honestly, that’d be a pretty great trade for the Flyers. If they could get out of that deal retaining only 1MM per and get an asset for him too? Home run. Hell, I’d even give up the 4th for that.

 

[Appleyard]

This month is getting pretty cringey for the franchise.

4 games where conceded 5+.
The Torts refusing to leave the bench absurdity and suspension.
Now this soap opera.

Even the little background stuff... the Walker soundbite the other day... refusing to speak to media... then sending his assistant for a press conference when everyone was waiting for him and he knew it.

 

[bennysflyers16]

Honestly, that’d be a pretty great trade for the Flyers. If they could get out of that deal retaining only 1MM per and get an asset for him too? Home run. Hell, I’d even give up the 4th for that.

Giving away captains and top 6 centers, seems very Flyers.

Couts and Frost is all we have with nothing coming. If this is a 6 year proper rebuild sure, but it isnt even a 3 year rebuild.

 

[Fire Tortorella]

This month is getting pretty cringey for the franchise.

4 games where conceded 5+.
The Torts refusing to leave the bench absurdity and suspension.
Now this soap opera.

Even the little background stuff... the Walker soundbite the other day... refusing to speak to media... then sending his assistant for a press conference when everyone was waiting for him and he knew it.

What was the Walker soundbite?

 

[Appleyard]

What was the Walker soundbite?

Torts flat out said that the Flyers were looking to bring back Walker in the summer...

a very strange thing for a HC to say. Not "Love his game and hope he can be a Flyer again"...

 

[FLYguy3911]

Torts is going to have the media film the C getting taken off his sweater.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Torts flat out said that the Flyers were looking to bring back Walker in the summer...

a very strange thing for a HC to say. Not "Love his game and hope he can be a Flyer again"...

I went looking for this because it just felt like one of those things that gets lost in translation. Nope. That's what he said. Unusual for sure.

 

[Appleyard]

Torts is going to have the media film the C getting taken off his sweater.

I mean, he basically did that with Ryan Kesler and Dan Hamhuis...

did not go soo well for Torts though.

 

[Appleyard]

I mean... just look at the way Torts entered the NHL as a HC.

Came into Tampa and within 6 weeks had benched Vinny, within six months had stripped the captaincy from him, within 10 months had healthy scratched him to start his first full season as coach, then spent the next three years feuding with him. Including trying to goad him into a fist fight...

And over the next 7 years refused to name him captain again, giving it to Andreychuk and then Tim Taylor.

If it was up to Torts Vinny would have been shipped out of Tampa. If it was up to Vinny he would have not been in Tampa! Jay Feaster basically stood his ground and said that he would not be trading him and they needed to figure it out.

This has always been his MO and he has done it everywhere.

 

[BritainStix]

I mean... just look at the way Torts entered the NHL as a HC.

Came into Tampa and within 6 weeks had benched Vinny, within six months had stripped the captaincy from him, within 10 months had healthy scratched him to start his first full season as coach, then spent the next three years feuding with him. Including trying to goad him into a fist fight...

And over the next 7 years refused to name him captain again, giving it to Andreychuk and then Tim Taylor.

If it was up to Torts Vinny would have been shipped out of Tampa. If it was up to Vinny he would have not been in Tampa! Jay Feaster basically stood his ground and said that he would not be trading him and they needed to figure it out.

This has always been his MO and he has done it everywhere.

Slightly different. He didn't name Vinny captain right?

 

[Appleyard]

Slightly different. He didn't name Vinny captain right?

Nope. But he has striped a letter off someone's chest, feuded in public with players, in most places multiple times... every single place he has gone!

It is just who he is and I mean, there is the old phrase:

"if everyone around you is the problem, maybe you're the problem"

but he knows that and being the problem is part of his coaching and man-management style.

He strategically picks fights, with players, with management, with media... even with his own assistants. Sometimes just out of the blue and with no reasons given... probably because there are not really any "fair" reasons in many cases.

In Tampa Craig Ramsey was basically his foil and the guy who was the "good cop" and communicated with players, sorted out issues while Torts ran the show... from what is out there Torts fell out with him within 18 months of the cup and moved to have him fired, which took a while (Feaster's loyalty again) but eventually happened.

 

[PettersonHughes]

Slightly different. He didn't name Vinny captain right?

From an outsider's perspective, the fact that he didn't name him captain shouldn't be too important. With Vinny, he got the C on a bottomed out franchise and had emerged in his sophomore season, but then his play tailed off and then Torts took it. Even so, Vinny was still just a kid at the time and wasn't ready to be the leader.

Couts is squarely in the prime years of an NHLer's career at 31 years old, and while statistically he's fallen off (0.56 points/ game is still respectable, mind you) I know I'd still view him at the very least as a top-6 C, if not top line still. Look at the names in the Flyers scoring leaders, it's Konecny, Farabee, Tippett, Sanheim, Frost and then Couturier. Maybe he's been less productive or "hardworking" as Torts perceives? Either way, still confused that coach would scratch him against a playoff likely contender in the Leafs.

EDIT: side note, curious minds want to know, if Couts asks out, what would Philly want for him?

 

[wankstifier]

From an outsider's perspective, the fact that he didn't name him captain shouldn't be too important. With Vinny, he got the C on a bottomed out franchise and had emerged in his sophomore season, but then his play tailed off and then Torts took it. Even so, Vinny was still just a kid at the time and wasn't ready to be the leader.

Couts is squarely in the prime years of an NHLer's career at 31 years old, and while statistically he's fallen off (0.56 points/ game is still respectable, mind you) I know I'd still view him at the very least as a top-6 C, if not top line still. Look at the names in the Flyers scoring leaders, it's Konecny, Farabee, Tippett, Sanheim, Frost and then Couturier. Maybe he's been less productive or "hardworking" as Torts perceives? Either way, still confused that coach would scratch him against a playoff likely contender in the Leafs.

EDIT: side note, curious minds want to know, if Couts asks out, what would Philly want for him?

Maybe Garland + 2025 1st?

That’s a challenging trade. I’m sure the Flyers would come up with a steaming pile of shit

 

[SolidSnakeUS]

How long until Briere listens to Torts to strip him of the C?

 

[trostol]

How long til Danny grows a pair