Flyers F Sean Couturier Re-Injures Knee, Out 4 Weeks

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

As the offseason progresses, a typical question as the new season approaches is in regards to injuries from the end of the previous season and if players will be fully healthy in time for training camp and the start of the season. There were a number of Flyers playing through injuries as the season ended in Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. For one such player, the start of the season may now be in jeopardy.

According to a report from the Montreal Journal, Flyers forward Sean Couturier re-injured his knee in an offseason game while making a routine movement. Flyers GM Ron Hextall confirmed the injury on Wednesday afternoon, announcing that Couturier will be out for approximately four weeks. 

According to Spector's Hockey, the injury occurred two weekends ago. Hextall confirmed that the injury happened on Aug. 10 on an "innocent play." Couturier has since reported to Voorhees to see Flyers doctors.

Hextall said Couturier is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season on Oct. 4. He is expected to be a partial participant for the first part of training camp, starting on Sept. 14, and be a full participant by the second half of the preseason.

Couturier suffered an MCL injury between Games 3 and 4 of the first round series against Pittsburgh at a team practice. He missed Game 4, but returned to play in Games 5 and 6, scoring four goals over the two games.

Hextall noted that Couturier was 100 percent healed and did not re-injure his MCL. It is an injury in the same knee, but it is not in the same spot and is unrelated to the previous injury.

Couturier is coming off a career season in 2017-18, scoring 31 goals, 76 points and being named a finalist for the Selke Trophy.

At the time of the previous injury in April, Couturier played through in Games 5 and 6, but said after the series that had it been the regular season, it was likely a four-week recovery period and did not require surgery. Assuming it is the same injury, Couturier would once again need at least four weeks to recover and surgery would not be required.

There are still three weeks remaining until training camp starts, but the Flyers may not want to rush their top-line center back into the lineup during the preseason to ensure he is fully recovered at the start of the season.

The Flyers are opening training camp on Friday, Sept. 14. The preseason begins on Sunday, Sept. 16. The regular season opener is set for Oct. 4.