Sean Couturier's development as a two-way center will be the biggest factor in whether or not the Philadelphia Flyers return to the playoffs in 2014.
The 20-year-old forward followed a stellar rookie campaign with a disappointing sophomore season in 2013, where he took a step back in several aspects of his game.
If Couturier is able to take his talents to another level at both ends of the ice this year, it's extremely difficult to envision the Flyers watching the postseason from home for a second straight spring.
As we saw in the first round of the 2012 playoffs, Couturier has the talent needed to become an elite defensive forward. If the Flyers are going to make the playoffs from a division that features superstar centers such as Sidney Crosby, Derek Stepan, John Tavares and Evgeni Malkin, Couturier must excel in this role.
Without an elite defenseman on the blue line, the Flyers rely on their forwards to play a large role in shutting down the opposing team's top scorers. This requires consistent back checking, responsible positioning, playing a physical game and winning faceoffs.
As t ...
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Article written by Nicholas Goss
Why Sean Couturier Improvement Is the Key for Flyers to Return to Playoffs
August 29th, 2013 by Nicholas Goss Leave a reply »
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