The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports that Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier He had surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia. Couturier had a very eventful 2023-24 season after missing the previous season due to a back problem that required multiple surgeries.
The Flyers were reportedly aware of the sports hernia as Couturier played with the ailment for much of the season and it clearly had an impact on his game as the 31-year-old managed just one goal and eight assists in his final 34 games. Couturier was named captain of the Flyers in February and is expected to be back to full health by the time training camp begins in September.
In other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch is reporting that Ottawa Senators assistant coach Daniel Alfredsson He wants to seriously pursue his career as an assistant before becoming an NHL head coach. The Senators reportedly spoke to their former captain about the head coaching position, but Alfredsson told management that he wanted to learn the ropes before taking the job. Alfredsson will be accompanied behind the Senators bench by the new head coach Travis Green as well as assistants Mike Yeo, Nolan Baumgartnerand Ben Sexton.
- The Florida Panthers and their ECHL affiliate, the Florida Everblades they are supposedly over your membership agreement. The agreement between the ECHL and NHL franchises began in 2022-23 and included the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. While the partnership was short-lived, it was incredibly successful as the Everblades won the Kelly Cup in both years of the deal, while the Panthers are in their second straight Stanley Cup Final. The Everblades have previously been affiliates of Nashville, Carolina and Tampa Bay and will announce a new affiliation in the coming weeks.