Sean Couturier Shows His Best Late — But Is More to Come?

For the final month and change of the regular season, Sean Couturier led the NHL with a plus-18 rating over his final 19 games.

In that stretch from March 4 to April 9, the center amassed five goals, 12 assists and the league's fourth-most even-strength points at 17.

"Sean Couturier was playing the best hockey I've ever seen him play," Jakub Voracek said.

This was all in large part because Couturier finally found some continuity with two wingers to stop the line carousel from spinning. Couturier paired with Brayden Schenn and Dale Weise to form what teammates believed was the Flyers' best line as the season wound down.

Weise, in the first season of a four-year contract, totaled 10 points (six goals, four assists) in his last 14 games to ease the pain from his underwhelming 50 contests prior (see story).

Schenn, coming off a fresh four-year contract of his own, produced 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in his last 15 games to end the season with 55 on 25 markers and 30 assists.

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Unfortunately for the Flyers, it all came too late.

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs unfold without them, the Flyers can only hope the line's production carries into 2017-18.

"Me, Schenner and Weiser, we had some tremendous chemistry," Couturier said last week at the Flyers' cleanout day. "We seemed to find each other right from the get-go when we were reunited. We had a good first few games and built on that, and finished the year strong together. It was nice and hopefully we can build on that and get the same thing going next year."

Couturier's nice finish won't overshadow the fan base's desire for more than just spurts of potential. Many are still eagerly waiting for the 24-year-old to reach greater heights offensively. Couturier was a team-best plus-12 this season with 14 goals and 20 assists in 66 games. However, in six NHL seasons, he has yet to eclipse 40 points.

Maybe some expected too much, too soon after Couturier's back-to-back 96-point seasons at the junior ranks before he joined the Flyers. The Flyers see Couturier as still young with much ahead, while a solid, two-way center is always valuable in the NHL.

What also spurred Couturier late was good health and the addition of center Valtteri Filppula. Couturier missed a month (16 straight games) with a left knee MCL sprain before the New Year and said he returned short of 100 percent.

"I thought I could do enough to help the team win, whether it was defensively, offensively, whatever it was," Couturier said. "Frustrating at times and it took a few weeks to really start not feeling it anymore and getting it out of my head.

"You think you're moving forward and it's getting better and then you get a little setback. It was that type of year.

"I always felt like I was missing that half second to make a play or whatever. … But at the end there, I was starting to feel better and I think it ended pretty well."

Filppula, acquired at the March 1 trade deadline, alleviated weight off Couturier's shoulders by taking on a bulk of the workload at center. Filppula, 33, plays both ends of the ice like Couturier.

"Coots' line there, they really became a productive line," general manager Ron Hextall said last Thursday. "Val's a real solid two-way player, who's going to chip in. When I looked at our lines and our chemistry late in the year, we were a better team. That bodes well for next year and our 5-on-5 play."

Even less than an hour after the Flyers' season finale, head coach Dave Hakstol liked the trio of Couturier, Schenn and Weise looking forward.

"Four or five months is a long ways down the road," he said, "but that's certainly a group that has a good chance to be together starting the year next year."

Couturier's numbers bothered him when he returned from the knee injury in late December. Weise and Schenn had motivational factors, as well, after new deals.

"Obviously I was hungry," Couturier said. "My stats weren't looking too good. This year, that's how I was. We were just three guys that wanted to prove something here at the end and make a push."

For Couturier, that will only continue starting in September.

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