Sean Couturier’s most common linemates last season were Matt Read and Wayne Simmonds. There’s certainly some offensive capability in there, specifically with the 30-goal scorer in Simmonds. But Wayne brings a different type of offensive skill — one that pairs better with a Claude Giroux or Brayden Schenn, and that’s why they’re the top line this season.
Couturier’s offensive game reached career highs last season – well, almost. He was on pace for his first 50-point season had it not been for a string of injuries he dealt with, resulting in only 63 games played. Still, he managed to get 28 assists, the most he ever had in his four-year career.
Some of that had to with the linemates he played alongside. The aforementioned pairing with Simmonds certainly helped. He also saw time with Michael Raffl, Sam Gagner and a little bit of time with Jake Voracek.
The latter is the most important.
In a brief showing with Voracek on his wing, Couturier showed what having a talented, playmaking forward who can create his own shot can do for his game.
At his exit interview in April, Couturier spoke on that: “When they put me with Simmer and Jake, that helped too, two good offensive guys. The puck was moving, everything was going pretty well, we were scoring, producing offensively at 5-on-5. From there on, I really kind of gained confidence and I think it kind of carried the rest of the season and I really felt more and more dominant and confident in my game after that.”
Management must have read that transcript.
Couturier will skate on opening night with the two most talented, skilled wingers he’s ever shared a line with in Travis Konecny and Voracek.
“Coots is a very good player,” said general manager Ron Hextall. “Coots is an under-rated player visually. If you really watch him closely he does a lot of really good things. Now with Jake on his wing that seems to be a good fit and that’s going to help him.
“I think in the past, maybe he hasn’t had enough help. But right now he does. He does have enough help and it’s going to be interesting.”
This won’t be a breakout season for Couturier. He’s already done enough to prove he’s capable of handling his own out on the ice. What this move does, though, is give the Flyers a second line that may be able to score just as much as the top line, Couturier included.
The organization knows what Couturier brings to the table. He can go out on any given day and shut down the opponent’s top scorer. He can also contribute in the offensive zone.
The Flyers are hoping to see even more of that production in his fifth season.
“I saw a development of it last year in terms of the purpose that Coots is playing with,” said head coach Dave Hakstol. “There was a real two-way purpose but there was a hunger there offensively.”
The second-year coach then went on to provide an example of what exactly Couturier can do with those two skilled wingers.
He used the preseason game against Boston as an example. Couturier, on multiple occasions, was “doing his job” in the defensive zone, retrieved the puck and spring-boarded either Voracek or Konecnt with an outlet pass.
“But he’s not stopping there,” Hakstol continued. “He’s then jumping in and adding to the offensive attack.”
That’s the difference with Couturier and his role this year. With Simmonds or Read or Raffl, Couturier never really had an outlet option, someone who can blow by the defenders at the blue line and create his own shot.
Now he has two… and now he’s in the best position of his career.
