What Are Flyers Forward Options Without Sean Couturier?

By Dan Heaning, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 

Tuesday night's Flyers victory over the Florida Panthers came at a huge cost. Second-line center Sean Couturier is sidelined with a sprained MCL in his left knee, according to a report from CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio. He will fly back to Philadelphia to be examined Wednesday.

While this is a premature report, if the report is correct and it is only a sprain, Couturier may only miss a week and a half. However, if he suffered a Grade 2 sprain or moderate to partial tear, his recovery time increases to two to four weeks at minimum. A Grade 3 tear is considered a complete tear of the MCL and would force him to miss at least two to four months, according to Dr. Bernard Bach of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University.

Based on Couturier's inability to move without assistance, putting zero pressure on his left leg and Steve Mason saying after the game that he could hear Couturier screaming, this could be a lengthy injury.

If so, what are the Flyers options in maintaining a solid second line that contains rookie Travis Konecny and Wayne Simmonds?

An injury of this magnitude may force general manager Ron Hextall to make a few roster moves. Both Scott Laughton and Jordan Weal have played well for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season. Weal leads the Phantoms with 15 points in 13 games while Laughton has eight points in as many games.

Laughton and Weal can both be sent back down to the minors should the Flyers get Couturier back sooner than later. However, if Couturier's recovery resembles a Grade 3 timeline then Laughton may see 53 games which would get him to 160 at the NHL level. Once he hits that number, he'll have to clear waivers in order to be sent back down.

Weal hasn't played in a week since sustaining an injury, but Hextall said he is healthy and available as a call-up.

Head coach Dave Hakstol would easily plug one of these players into the lineup and see if that success can carry over to the big league.

However, the Flyers already have 14 forwards. Roman Lyubimov has acted as the 13th forward since Boyd Gordon was placed on the long-term injury reserve and could easily slide into the lineup without any other transactions.

Gordon should be eligible to return after the 10th game and 24 days since being placed on the LTIR. He went on the reserve on Thursday, Nov. 3. This would still force him to miss all but the last game of the month. However, if his time was backlogged to Nov. 1, when he went on the injured reserve, he could come back to play against the Calgary Flames. Regardless, Gordon likely won't be an option to return until, at the very least, after the Black Friday matinee with the New York Rangers.

In the here and now, someone like Brayden Schenn or Michael Raffl could slide over to the second line center spot. Hakstol could also give Pierre-Edouard Bellemare or Nick Cousins a chance at the second line. However, Schenn or Raffl remain the best options among the regulars.

Sticking with those players and inserting Lyubimov into the lineup may be the only move Hakstol can make to play 12 forwards in Wednesday's game against the Lightning, but the option to play 11 forwards and seven defensemen remains.

After Wednesday's game, Hextall may choose to recall a Laughton or Weal should Couturier's injury be lengthy enough to be placed on the LTIR. If not, then the salary cap becomes an issue.

The Flyers have $1,666,150 in LTIR relief. Laughton's $863,333 would eat more than half of that. Weal's $650,000 would leave the Flyers with slightly over one million in relief. Both options result in Gordon's $950,000 contract taking all or most of the relief away. Therefore, any call-up would have to be accompanied by Couturier going to the LTIR.

Thanks to the configuration of the Flyers roster, they could be forced to survive in cap hell with what they have for a few weeks or endure most of the season without their best defensive forward. Regardless, for a team struggling to find consistency, this injury is nothing short of devastating.