Sean Couturier

Couturier embodied the volatile ups and downs of the Flyers' 2020-21 season. The 28-year-old remained highly productive offensively, racking up 18 goals and 41 points while recording a career-high 15.0 shooting percentage. However, his minus-4 rating was reflective of the Flyers' defensive shortcomings that were so apparent that even his Selke Trophy-winning pedigree wasn't enough for them to overcome. Whether the offseason changes the Flyers made will be effective remains to be seen, but their playoff aspirations hinge significantly on Couturier's contributions at both ends of the ice, so expect a heavy workload and a return to his 30-plus goal, 40-50 assist baseline - making him a solid mid-round selection across the spectrum of fantasy formats.

Couturier took a minor step back last season from an offensive standpoint, totaling 22 goals and 59 points in 69 games after racking up 33 goals and 76 points in 80 games during the previous campaign, but he had his best season yet as a two-way player, earning his first Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward. The 27-year-old pivot will continue to center Philadelphia's top line and first power-play unit in 2020-21, and he's still in the thick of his prime, so a bounce-back scoring performance is certainly in the cards for Couturier. 30-plus goals, 40-plus assists and 220-plus shots over the course of a full campaign had become the norm for Couturier prior to 2019-20's shortened schedule, and while that may be a slightly optimistic expectation for him during the upcoming season, he should at least be able to produce at a pace approaching those figures, making him a fantastic addition for virtual managers looking to add a forward in the early-to-mid rounds of this year's drafts.

The 26-year-old recorded what many considered a career year in 2017-18, but it's proving to have been more of a breakout campaign. Couturier set a new career high with 33 goals and matched his career-best 76 points in 80 games last season. Unfortunately, he did suffer a major step backwards in the plus/minus department. After posting a fantastic plus-34 rating in 2017-18, he managed just a plus-2 mark last year. However, owners should consider that a victory considering the Flyers finished 29th in goals allowed in 2018-19. Couturier's an elite fantasy option that should comfortably reach 30 goals and 75 points again in 2019-20 if healthy.

Couturier exploded on the scoresheet in 2017-18, tallying 31 goals and 76 points with a plus-34 rating in 82 games. Then he dominated the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs, recording five goals and nine points in five games despite playing a couple of those contests with a torn MCL. Fantasy owners don't need to be concerned with that injury or with Couturier repeating his offensive output. The biggest reason for his explosion was his promotion to the top line with Claude Giroux moving to left wing. Couturier played nearly three more minutes per game in 2017-18 than the previous season and that caused his shot volume to nearly double. The 25-year-old contributes in every category and will be a very popular fantasy pick this fall, and don't be afraid to buy the hype because his production appears sustainable.

Although Couturier has developed into a reliable top-six center for the Flyers, he's still mostly left his fantasy owners wanting, as his career high in points through six NHL seasons is a mere 39. He didn't even reach that mark in 2016-17, as Couturier managed just 34 points over 66 contests in a second straight injury-shortened campaign. That said, his strong late run -- 17 points and a plus-18 rating in 19 games to close out the season -- offers reason for optimism that Couturier is ready to turn the corner and live up to his billing as the 2011 draft’s No. 8 overall pick. On a Flyers squad that saw many of its players finish with brutal ratings, Couturier’s team-best plus-12 was a shining ray of light reflective of his quality two-way game. However, he's a low-volume shooter who hasn't shown great passing ability, and he picked up just two power-play points last year despite averaging 1:49 a game with the extra man. Still, Couturier is only 24 years old with unquestionable defensive skills and a high hockey IQ, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him develop more offense. With Brayden Schenn having been shipped off over the summer, Couturier is now the unquestioned No. 2 center, and a leap to the 50-point range wouldn't be a big surprise.

Last season offered both positives and negatives for Couturier – although he ended up with the same high-30s point total we’ve now seen from him three years running, he did so in only 63 games. So the 23-year-old pivot’s scoring rate is on the rise, but a number of injuries kept him from having a true breakout season. However, a fully healthy 2016-17 could very well see him break 50 points for the first time as Philadelphia’s second-line center as he continues assuming a bigger and bigger offensive role; his ice time has clearly been trending away from shorthanded situations and toward the man advantage. The No. 8 overall pick in 2011, Couturier has made it clear by now that he’s not much of a shooter, but he can be a highly effective playmaker who offers a reliable two-way game.

Fresh off signing a six-year contract extension, Couturier is heading into a critical 2015-16 season. The 22-year-old put up 15 goals and 37 points in 82 games last season, finishing third on the Flyers with 31 even-strength points and ending the regular season on a six-game point streak. While he's yet to surpass 15 goals in a single season, the Flyers see him as their eventual second-line center, though it's unclear if he'll move up from his current spot on the third line right away in 2015-16. At this point in his career, Couturier has already shown the ability to match up defensively against top competition as a key member of the team's penalty kill; now, he'll need to demonstrate that he can become the viable secondary scorer the top-heavy Flyers need to complement Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Wayne Simmonds. The youngster remains more valuable to the Flyers than to fantasy owners, but after back-to-back campaigns just shy of the 40-point mark, this could be the year he builds off the confidence the team has in him and becomes more of an offensive threat.

Couturier was hailed as a gifted two-way player in the mold of Patrice Bergeron when he came into the NHL three years ago. In fact, his 223 points and cumulative plus-141 rating in 184 games in junior were indicative of a future Selke winner. While his offensive game hasn't yet fully matured in the NHL, he is still very good in his own end of the ice and a great shutdown center. His biggest problem will be finding ice time behind Claude Giroux and Brayden Schenn. A long-term injury to either of those players would elevate Couturier up the depth chart and certainly help his numbers, but that sort of promotion obviously isn’t guaranteed. For the time being, it’s probably best to forget about the hype he entered the league with and temper expectations about his potential fantasy production.

Couturier signed a two-year extension in late July, and looks to recover from a down season. Known for his defensive prowess, the 20-year-old center is still young and developing, so he could be a target in keeper leagues. And if he can get back to his 2011-12 form when he posted a rating of plus-18, he has the potential to add value in deeper leagues.

Couturier had an impressive NHL rookie season with 27 points and a plus-18. While he may not have put up all-star fantasy numbers, with the absence Jaromir Jagr and a few other free agents, Couturier will be expected to play a bigger role this year and may be in for a breakout season. He has uncanny poise for a young NHL player and his two-way skill have allowed him to successfully close down some of the Eastern Conference's top scorers; he's regularly matched up against players like Evgeni Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk. Remember his name in keeper leagues.