Sean Couturier’s hat trick on Saturday provides hope he can get back to being a productive center for the Flyers

Sean Couturier sat on the bench Saturday as the hats rained down after he notched his first hat trick in more than five years during the Flyers’ 7-5 win against the Minnesota Wild.

For his confidence, he said, it was huge. Considering how the last few years have gone with two back surgeries, a second half of last season that saw him be a healthy scratch for the first time in his career, and offseason sports hernia surgery, that’s an understatement by the Flyers captain.

But maybe it was also because of how the first two pucks went in before he sealed his day — and the win — with an empty-netter. On the first goal, Couturier battled around the net, taking body shots and creating havoc before spinning off Minnesota forward Mats Zuccarello and slamming home a rebound atop the crease. The second, according to the official record, came after he recorded two shots on goal from in tight before jamming home the third attempt — it sure seemed like more.

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And those two goals weren’t even the full encapsulation of his day as he added two assists, with the game-winning goal by Rasmus Ristolainen coming after Couturier put the puck on net and then crashed the goal alongside the Finnish defenseman. Couturier’s play was a continuation from the previous game, a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals, when he was consistently around the net like a shark circling its prey, as evident by his screening the goalie on Matvei Michkov’s goal to make it a one-goal game.

“I think we started putting more pucks to the net, which I think helps not only create chances, but puck recoveries,” Couturier said Friday after practice. “I think it gets their D zone a little out of position when you start putting pucks and rebounds, you don’t know where they’re going. So, yeah, I think we just simplified our game and tried to get more to the net.”

The two games, including the career-high five points against the Wild, encapsulated what the 31-year-old Couturier needs to do to be successful. He needs to be the net-front guy for his skilled wingers, Travis Konecny and Michkov. Sure, creating commotion in front and drawing defenders will give them more room, but because a lot of the focus by the opposition goes to those two guys, it can create time and space for himself, too. It doesn’t hurt that he’s 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds.

“I think we need some bodies there and, obviously, I’m looking to score here, and that’s where I’ll get one,” he said on Friday. “Goals are scored around the net, and I just got to get one of those lucky bounces, and things will open up afterward.”

Now a year further removed from his two back surgeries, which may have made him tentative to take punishment in front of the net last season, he looks comfortable playing a physical game. After a slow start, he is starting to look more like the guy from the start of the 2023-24 season, before he suffered a lower abdominal/core injury. Former Flyers forward Kevin Hayes underwent a similar procedure when he was with the club and said the injury impacted his skating. Couturier didn’t think so, but there is no denying his numbers dropped after he was injured in December — he had 10 goals and 30 points in his first 41 games and only one goal and eight points over his final 33 contests.

Couturier has said he has to focus on the details, and when the team simplifies its game, going to the net is critical. The Flyers love to use their speed and transition game to create offense, but sometimes the tail end of that is a good old crash-and-bang.

The Flyers are tied for the fourth-fewest goals at five-on-five (13), and according to Natural Stat Trick, only five have come from high-danger spots, tied for the second-fewest in the NHL. When things aren’t working and the offense is lacking, crashing the net is a tried and true formula for success.

Couturier, a Flyer since 2011, is happy to be the guy who dominates the slot and crease area. He played the role long before Konecny and Michkov were even a twinkle in Flyers fans’ eyes.

“When I played with Jake [Voracek] and [Claude Giroux] for so many years, you know those two guys were some of the best in the world in making passes with their vision,” he said Saturday. “I knew my role back then, too, was kind of find the open area, find the open space and they’ll find me. It’s a little bit similar with these two guys.”

Couturier leads the team with nine individual high-danger shot attempts at five-on-five, has created four rebounds, and when he is on the ice the Flyers have 61.1% more high-danger chances than against. The centerman spent a few shifts at wing against the Vancouver Canucks in the home opener.

“When I put him on wing, he got some touches,” coach John Tortorella said Friday. “He said he felt more involved. He was around the net. We ended up putting him back to center, but I think he’s played well for the past few games.”

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The Selke Trophy winner in 2020, Couturier does have to be more of the defensive-minded guy on his line as Konecny and Michkov learn to play together. There is risk and reward with the high-octane winger pairing, but that doesn’t mean the Flyers captain needs to be the shutdown center he once was or even a guy who puts up 70-plus points. He just needs to be a steady first- or second-line center and support his linemates. If he can do that, it would provide a major boost for the Flyers, as Couturier likely isn’t going anywhere given his $7.75 million salary-cap hit for the next six seasons.

It’s no secret the Flyers have struggled to find top-two centers. Morgan Frost was demoted to the fourth line Sunday. Ryan Poehling has speed but doesn’t quite fit there either and Noah Cates, while a reliable defensive forward, doesn’t have the offensive skill level of Couturier. Jett Luchanko, 18, is the future down the middle, but he was optioned back to Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League on Saturday.

The top center spot is Couturier’s for now. He said recently in response to Tortorella moving him off the pivot position that “wherever the team wants me to play, I’ll do my best to help the team win.” It looks like that is at the top of the lineup and right in front of the net.