Center Depth an Early Issue for Flyers

With training camp underway, the lack of center depth is already an early issue for the Flyers.

Flyers fans remember all too well the events of last season, as the injuries plagued the team for most of the year. No position was bit by the injury bug worse than the center position though and the ship that was the 2021-22 Philadelphia Flyers sank quicker than the Titanic.

Now with a chance to start over and look forward to a brand new season, that same injury bug has returned. Former 2020 Selke Trophy winner and Flyers assumed top line center, Sean Couturier, is now week-to-week with an “upper body injury” according to Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher.

To refresh your memory, Couturier missed all but 29 games last season with a supposedly unrelated back injury which ailed him long before he eventually decided to sit out and opt for surgery.

Fast forward to September 19, 2022, mere days away from Flyers training camp and Anthony San Fillippo drops the “Coots Bomb” on all of us…

“According to sources, while Couturier is being re-evaluated, it’s not looking good and that the belief is he will miss at least 12 weeks. That, however, could be on the optimistic end. There is a thought it could be longer and extend well into the second half of the season, if not the entire season.”

Not great news there. Your top line center was about to start year 1 of his recently signed 8 year deal and is now potentially going to miss an entire season with another back issue. That is not good, not good at all.

Who is to blame for Scott Laughton or Morgan Frost potentially starting the season as your Philadelphia Flyers second line center? Well if you were to ask me, I’d say the answer to that question is pretty simple and I’ll give you a hint. His initials are CF.

To put it frankly, the lack of foresight at the center position could cost the Flyers the season. Take a look at the depth charts and the projected healthy top line center at this time, is Kevin Hayes. Why couldn’t the Flyers sign a Dylan Strome to a 1yr/3m deal? That’s what Washington signed him for.

Don’t get me wrong here, I know the first thing everyone will think of is; “Well yeah, they could have done that but ole Chuck decided to “waste” cap space on Nic Deslauriers.” So let me just get this out of the way real quick, I love the Deslauriers signing. I’ll explain why in a future article, now is not the time.

There are multiple benefits to going out and finding a cheap third line center who could flex into a top 6 role if a player like Sean Couturier, who just in case you’ve forgotten in the last few minutes, is coming off BACK SURGERY.

The most obvious benefit is that he can fill a void. The Flyers lack true center depth. Sure they have players that can play the position but Strome is a proven commodity and if things go as far south as we think they’re going to go this season, they could have flipped him at the trade deadline. You know, like smart General Managers do…cough cough Steve Yzerman.

Now I don’t want to rag on Fletcher too hard, since it’s relatively simple to do. But things have not been great since he took over and they don’t look like they are going to be improving anytime soon.

I mean just look at what they’re preparing to wheel out there already. Kevin Hayes, Artem Anisimov, Morgan Frost, and Tanner Laczynski…wait Artem Anisimov? Yep, remember him? He played in Russia last season but as of today, September 23, it would appear that Anisimov is trying out (he signed a PTO earlier this week) for the opportunity to play with JVR and Travis Konecny.

Oh boy.

THE GUY WASN’T IN THE NHL LAST SEASON and yet, at 34 years old he has an opportunity to be the Flyers second line center. THAT is how bad things are at the position currently.

Much like what happens during games, you might have noticed Morgan Frost was hardly anywhere to be found in this article. I mean what else is there really to say about the kid that hasn’t already been said? Frost has scored 7 goals and 23 points in 77 career NHL games.

Think what you want to think, were all entitled to our opinions, but if you’re still holding out hope for a Morgan Frost breakout season, God bless you. I truly don’t see an NHL caliber player when I watch him play and that is all I am going to say about Morgan Frost.

Of course there is Tanner Laczynski who comes with question marks of his own and unfortunately they are of the “can he stay healthy” variety which is the worst kind of question mark these days. Why you ask? Well because of late, the answer to these questions have been “no”. We’ve seen it with Ellis, Allison, Laczynski, and now unfortunately the Flyers top line center, Sean Couturier.

I will note that as of today, September 23, there appears to be some slight optimism as Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk was quoted as saying that Couturier has already begun rehab. Everyone cross your fingers, Sean Couturier is the most important player on the roster for the Flyers and has been for years.

Jim Iacovone is the Site Manager for HW Hockey
Photo: Kyle Ross/ Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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