‘We’re soft’: Sean Couturier calls out Flyers after another ugly loss, and Rick Tocchet agrees

WASHINGTON ― The Flyers lost 5-2 to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night in what was their third straight loss. They now have just three wins in their first 15 games.

Frustration is mounting, as evidenced by two interesting things said postgame:

“At times this year, we’re soft, I would say,” Sean Couturier said. “Not hard on battles, and lose battles easily. It’s one thing to make mistakes and not win a battle, but if you’re in there trying hard and stuff, that’s different. But we definitely need to pick up our physicality. It goes into competing as well, I think.”

The press box at Capital One Arena was packed with scouts. Most are assigned to watch specific teams throughout the season and build reports on players for future use when discussing trade options.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ early season struggles continue with 5-2 loss to the Capitals

One scout who was asked about the Flyers’ current state said that the team is not tough to play against, is missing grit and that Broad Street Bullies flair.

The Flyers have the fourth most hits in the NHL; however, only the Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs have hit the 15-game mark. They drop down to 13th overall in hits per 60 (22.85).

“It’s like hockey 101. It’s a tough physical sport. You’re going to get hit. You have to take a hit to make a play,” Nick Seeler said. “You can’t go poking for pucks and hoping something good happens. You have to go make it happen.

“And it’s not always going to be perfect. You’re going to make mistakes, of course, but as long as that effort is there, you’re usually going to come out on the right side of things, and that’s what I’m talking about.”

Added Couturier: “You’ve got to be ready each night. It’s a man’s game and a lot of battles; that’s kind of the basics of the game is battling, winning one-on-one battles, and creating chances off of that.”

Physicality isn’t just hits. It’s using the body to create havoc, turnovers, or gain/maintain puck control — i.e., Hunter McDonald chasing down his blocked shot attempt and leveling Jacob Christiansen to keep the Flyers in control against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But stats do show if a team is doing that. Last season the Flyers finished fourth in hits per 60 at 22.46, but the NHL’s best, the New York Rangers, were only at 25.47. Today, the Florida Panthers are No. 1 at 31.93 — led by a familiar face in Garnet Hathaway.

A guest on Snow the Goalie: A Flyers Podcast on Oct. 13 — this reporter — said losing Hathaway was the biggest mistake by the Flyers. I stand by it.

Sure, Hathaway did not have the best season on the ice, but his ability to grind and get under opponents’ skin often set the tone that the Flyers were a difficult team to face. Off the ice, although he didn’t wear an “A,” he was a vocal leader who did not hold back in keeping guys in check.

And he wasn’t afraid to initiate contact. Hathaway, who enters Thursday tied for the third-most hits in the league, finished last season with the ninth-most hits and the 16th-best hits per 60 (22.02). Nic Deslauriers was fifth (26.60) up until he was traded on March 6 to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. They were two of four Flyers in the top 50 of hits per 60, joined by McDonald (one game) and Lane Pederson.

» READ MORE: The Flyers’ ‘rewiring’ of Jett Luchanko and a hot start for a couple of ‘The Jacks’ | Prospect Corner

This season, the Flyers have three players in the top 50 of hits per 60 — McDonald (22nd), Garrett Wilson (eighth), and Carl Grundström (49th) — with two in the minors. And one player is in the top 84 of total hits — 35-year-old Noel Acciari (37).

“It’s not wrong,” coach Rick Tocchet said of Couturier’s assessment. “There’s certain parts of the game where we need a little bit more dig. I know we’re a little smaller team (the NHL Media site lists the Flyers at 6-foot-2), but it still doesn’t make you an excuse for not getting a loose puck.”

“We always talk about body position, especially in pressure situations, and you’ve got to take the body. Don’t have to kill a guy, but I think that’s really what it comes down to if you want to go far, that you have to; you have to be somewhat physical.”

Seeler, who knows a thing or two about being a gritty player, specifically noted that the grit is “just not there.” When asked why, he said he wasn’t sure. He was then asked: Have there been conversations in the room?

“Well, we certainly had some discussions in the room, especially with our starts and after the first. It’s just focus levels and compete levels and playing for the crest. That’s what it’s all about,” he said.

“And it’s not about getting points. It’s not about me, me, me. It’s about the team and playing for each other and sacrificing for each other. And it’s really not that difficult to understand. You play for the guy next to you; that’s what Flyers hockey is all about, and when we can start figuring that out at the start, puck drop, and we will be a better hockey team.”

» READ MORE: Flyers’ ongoing overtime woes down to ‘mind-boggling’ decisions, says Rick Tocchet

It would not be fair to speculate on the target of the comments. But it cannot be ignored that the team has disastrous plus-minuses — top point-getters Trevor Zegras (13) is minus-5, and Matvei Michkov (11) is minus-9. According to Natural Stat Trick, only four players have a Corsi For percentage above 50%, five have an expected Goals For percentage and three have a high-danger chances for percentage above that 50% at five-on-five — they are all rookies.

“You should never have a me attitude,” Tocchet said. “You’ve got to be careful what your agenda is. There’s times when you should change, get your buddy on the ice when he’s fresh, instead of trying for one more last rush, and then change on the way back.

“Things like that, I think that’s what Nick’s talking about [the] me, me. You can’t do that sort of stuff. Accountability starts [with] me. I’ll start to have to take some ice time from that. Leadership is going to have to do a little bit of that too. So I think it’s important that doesn’t creep in your room, 100%. The me, me, I, I attitude.”