Sean Couturier to miss 4-6 weeks; Flyers recall Scott Laughton
TAMPA – The Flyers' second-line center Sean Couturier will miss four to six weeks with an apparent left knee injury, and the team recalled Scott Laughton from the AHL's Phantoms to replace him on the roster.
Couturier, who had five goals in 20 games, was injured in the second period of Tuesday's 3-1 win in Florida. He was examined by a team doctor in Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon.
The Flyers placed Couturier on injured reserve Wednesday, but he may be moved to the long-term injured reserve (LTIR) list, which means he would miss at least 24 days and 10 games. The team gets salary cap relief if he is placed on LTIR.
Flyers general manager Ron Hextall would not say Wednesday whether Couturier would need surgery.
Couturier is the Flyers' best defensive forward and a quality penalty killer. He is the fifth Flyer to miss time because of an injured left knee this season. The others: Michal Neuvirth, Andrew MacDonald, Laughton, and Michael Del Zotto.
Laughton, 22, appeared in four games for the Flyers in the preseason before suffering a knee injury. He played in eight games with the Phantoms this season, collecting two goals and six assists. He will center the fourth line Wednesday in Tampa.
Nick Cousins will take Couturier's spot on the second line. Cousins, who has three goals in 16 games, had been on the fourth line.
"Just like tonight, guys stepped up and did the job, and that's what we will do (Wednesday)," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said after Tuesday's victory.
In 71 games with the Flyers last season, Laughton had seven goals and 21 points. Laughton was selected in the first round (20th overall) of the 2012 draft, which produced goalie Anthony Stolarz in the second round and Shayne Gostisbehere in the third round.
Propp scholarship
Former Flyers star Brian Propp, who recovered at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital from a 2015 stroke, has created a scholarship program to help fellow stroke victims and those with brain injuries receive therapy.
A charity event to aid Propp's Helping Hands Project at Magee will be held Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Revolutions at Penn Treaty in Fishtown.
Propp, 57, scored 369 goals for the Flyers, second in franchise history, behind Bill Barber's 420.
Breakaways
The Flyers will host the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Rangers in their annual Black Friday game at 1 p.m. … The Phantoms (10-4-1) had won eight of their last nine games heading into Wednesday. Jordan Weal (15 points), Moorestown's T.J. Brennan (14), Taylor Leier (14), and Greg Carey (13) were Lehigh Valley's top scorers. Carey, a 26-year-old left winger who signed as a free agent in July, had a team-high 10 goals.