Value of: What is the plan with Sean Couturier?

[Frankie Blueberries]

Philly probably just keeps him as a veteran/mentor and hope the team can become competitive in 2-4 years while he can still contribute. Similar situation as Kopitar and the Kings a few years back.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Thanks. I was pretty sure but I didn’t want to throw it down if I wasn’t positive….I still think that he has a few good years left in him. Listen as far as former Selke winners go, he might not be a Rick Meagher….but he still can PK, block shots, is efficient in the face off dot and chips in offensively….I think Philly having both him and Atkinson healthy are going to surprise…

With a healthy Couturier they have a pretty solid forward group--no star talent (unless Konecny keeps shredding) but a bunch of defensively-responsible scoring depth--they likely have ~6+ 20-goal scorers in the lineup. The problem is their defense is an absolute abomination. The only surprise will be that they're losing 6-4 games instead of 3-2 games.

 

[Rebels57]

He has no value until he proves he can stay healthy. If he returns to his pre-injury form, he will have a ton of value for either the Flyers or another team if they look to acquire him.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Won’t happen for numerous reasons, but it’d be cool to see the Ducks take a swing. Teach Zegras and such.

 

[GKJ]

Who is going to take his contract and trust he doesn’t get hurt again? Back injuries never truly go away.

 

[Neutrinos]

Depending on how things shake out in Calgary with Lindholm and Hanifin, I could see the Flames trading for Couturier and Sanheim next off-season

 

[JRichard]

Flyer fans want to trade him. No one is trading for him given his injury history and that contract. Even at 50 percent 7 years is too long for any team to take on

Maybe some but most only hope for full season, 40-50 pts, leadership, pk, faceoffs.

 

[Seanaconda]

Well Philly is gonna wait and see how he is and then assess the situation later

He's a guy you really have no clue what he is atm so Philly should just see. If he's back to his old level you can get a lot for him or keep him and go for it again I guess

 

[Shane Diesel]

A lot of teams…..a former Selke trophy finalist. He’s still ultra defensively sound. He might not be worth a 1st and a prospect but I’d bet that there’s teams who would be interested in him including Colorado…

A 30 year old, often injured forward, with seven years left on his deal, doesn't sound like the Sakic/MacFarland MO one bit.

 

[biturbo19]

That contract is fundamentally unmovable. If he comes back and plays really well, looks like his old self again...maybe someone finds a way to talk themselves into that huge liability. Probably shipping a bunch of other cap the other way. But it'll take a while to actually re-establish himself as a top tier two-way center. If he's even able to at all. Even longer to establish he's going to be at all durable.

 

[paul-laus]

A 30 year old, often injured forward, with seven years left on his deal, doesn't sound like the Sakic/MacFarland MO one bit.

You would have said the same thing about often traded, smallish, and power play heavy but not much else d-man Brad Hunt last year….I don’t think anyone would have envisioned him getting into that amount of games with the big club. Sometimes Colorado management’s moves surprise ie) bringing in Drouin based solely on his junior days synergy with MacKinnon…

 

[dirtydanglez]

his contract probably keeps him in philly. likely bounces on and off ltir until he retires.

 

[TheKingPin]

Really sucks that his career has been so devastated by injuries. People have short memories. Not that long ago he was right up there with Barkov and Kopitar as just a truly elite defensively #1 center. He was a low key superstar and one of the best centers in the game.

There’s almost zero chance he is ever that guy again but if he’s even 75% of that, it’s gonna make the Flyers so much better this season. I don’t think he has much value given his risk and contract and he’s not getting any younger. But it would be great to see him healthy and bringing at least some of what he used to.

This is a three year run between 2017-2020:

I disagree. He has been healthy for months now so that should help with rehab. He will have good to great wingers. PP time. I think he will be good this year.

I don’t think I would trade for him today, if available bc there of course is risk. But if a team like Colorado somehow made it work, they would be a dynasty and that is worth it.

 

[MOGlLNY]

I was gonna say I’d be interested from a Sabres perspective to teach our forwards how to play “the right way” but I didn’t know his contract still has 6 years left at nearly 8. God damn. Definitely can’t make that work.

I love Coots; the injuries are really unfortunate. Hope he bounces back.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Philly easily keeps him.

Given the time missed and contract Couturier very well had negative value, as in the Flyers have to pay to move him.

He plays this year and plays well value restored.

He sucks and/or is injured a lot, then the flyers worry about the price to dump him in the off-seaaon, or potentially give him another season to see if he can redeem himself

 

[Flyer lurker]

Sean Couturier who is 30 years old will be making 7.75M for 7 more years, was injured for a significant portion and hasn't played since 2021-2022 season until this preseason, He will be 30 on a team that is clearly in a rebuild stage. Again last time he played was 2021-2022 season where he had 17 points in 29 games. Is the plan just to keep him and see if he can bounce back or will they see if he can bounce back and trade him? So the question is will they trade him and what would his value be?

He is not tradeable until he proves he can stay healthy.
Now say he puts a 60 point season and looks like old Couts in the second half of year?
Then lets chat in 2024 offseason.

 

[BKarchitect]

I disagree. He has been healthy for months now so that should help with rehab. He will have good to great wingers. PP time. I think he will be good this year.

I don’t think I would trade for him today, if available bc there of course is risk. But if a team like Colorado somehow made it work, they would be a dynasty and that is worth it.

The problem is teams like Colorado have absolutely zero ability to add another player on a nearly $8 million cap hit in his 31-37 age seasons. A health Couturier on a team like Colorado or Edmonton or Carolina or whomever is great in theory. But even with a rising cap that’s a non-starter contract even assuming no injury concerns which is a huge risk. And do the Flyers really have the appetite to heavily retain on a guy for 6 years?

The market for Couturier will be limited even if healthy for this year. Not saying a trade wouldn’t be doable but it would be a lot harder than just saying “oh plug him on Colorado and they are a power”. The part of “somehow make it work” is a difficult proposition.

 

[ole ole]

A lot of teams…..a former Selke trophy finalist. He’s still ultra defensively sound. He might not be worth a 1st and a prospect but I’d bet that there’s teams who would be interested in him including Colorado…

At 7.75 for 7 more yrs. I can't think of one team that would take him and especially not the Avs.

 

[Shane Diesel]

You would have said the same thing about often traded, smallish, and power play heavy but not much else d-man Brad Hunt last year….I don’t think anyone would have envisioned him getting into that amount of games with the big club.

Brad Hunt was signed to a two year, two way contract and has only played for the Avs due to injuries. Hes not a regular starting playing for Colorado with a healthy lineup. Not a comparable to Sean Couturier's contract or situation in any way.

Sometimes Colorado management’s moves surprise ie) bringing in Drouin based solely on his junior days synergy with MacKinnon…

Drouin signed a one year contract for $825K, again not a comparable to Sean Couturier's contract or situation in any way.

When the Avs FO takes a chance on players it's for low dollars and low term. Neither of the examples you provided disprove my original post or are even analogous in any way. Couturier with seven years left on his contract at over $7 million (at age 30 no less) does not fit the profile for Avalanche transactions. Period.

 

[Limeyjim]

Former Selke Trophy winning Sean Couturier could return to his former playing abilities and be given the Captain's title on this rebuilding team. I'm sure that Coach Tortorella would love having a healthy Coots in the ranks, and he could mentor the young players who will rise to be the future core players for this organisation.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

He not getting moved, the nature of the injury history and his contract make it an impossible deal to make (maybe a team like the yotes, who sole purpose is the accumulation bad contract)

He one of the few reasons worth watching the flyers and in the entertainment business, even through a rebuild you need some.

They will play him as long he holding

 

[AslanRH]

You would have said the same thing about often traded, smallish, and power play heavy but not much else d-man Brad Hunt last year….I don’t think anyone would have envisioned him getting into that amount of games with the big club. Sometimes Colorado management’s moves surprise ie) bringing in Drouin based solely on his junior days synergy with MacKinnon…

Brad Hunt did not play that many games because the Avs FO desired it. He was signed to Captain the Eagles and be a depth under the depth option.

 

[TheKingPin]

The problem is teams like Colorado have absolutely zero ability to add another player on a nearly $8 million cap hit in his 31-37 age seasons. A health Couturier on a team like Colorado or Edmonton or Carolina or whomever is great in theory. But even with a rising cap that’s a non-starter contract even assuming no injury concerns which is a huge risk. And do the Flyers really have the appetite to heavily retain on a guy for 6 years?

The market for Couturier will be limited even if healthy for this year. Not saying a trade wouldn’t be doable but it would be a lot harder than just saying “oh plug him on Colorado and they are a power”. The part of “somehow make it work” is a difficult proposition.

I agree. I think Colorado could make it work with a little retention. Can’t see the flyers retaining for so long but maybe they would if the price was right. You wouldn’t trade him until next summer anyway. For a team like Colorado - you are looking a dynasty and several more cups. For the flyers - you are cutting your best player to tank, allowing frost or cates to be your 1C. There is an argument for a value buy low right now, but don’t think that’s practical.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

A bounceback season or two can do wonders for a player's value.

There was a time when Skinner and Karlsson's contracts were considered unmovable. Couturier obviously has the ability if his body holds up.

 

[mr4tno]

Couturier is unmovable. He is injury riddled, has logged heavy minutes in his career, slowing down as the league speeds up and being paid almost $8MM into his social security years. He will most likely play out his days on a bottom dwelling team or join Ellis on LTIR at some point. Don't feel bad he took the money. Another Cuck Fletcher gem.