Couturier healthy entering Flyers training camp

Philadelphia Flyers center Sean Couturier received final medical clearance and will be a full participant in training camp later in September, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.

Couturier was only able to suit up for 29 contests during the 2021-22 campaign. He ranked third on the team with 17 points before playing in his final game of the season on Dec. 18.

He landed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury shortly after and the team announced his season was over after he underwent back surgery on Feb. 11.

"I feel good," Couturier said Monday. "I had a long recovery. (It) took longer than I thought, a lot of ups and downs, but now I'm feeling good and ready to go. Excited to get going again."

Lauded as one of the top two-way players in the game, Couturier took home the Selke Trophy as the league's top defensive forward in 2020.

"I want to prove that I'm healthy again and I can be back to the player I am, that I was, and maybe even better," the 29-year-old said. "I'm going to push myself. I think (new coach John Tortorella) is here to kind of do that, push ourselves, make it a tough camp, a lot of skating, and see if we're in shape."

Kevin Hayes was also cleared to participate in training camp after a litany of injuries limited him to 48 games this past season.

The Flyers struggled mightily in 2021-22 and finished at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 25-46-11.

The team will have to try to turn things around without former captain Claude Giroux, who was traded to the Florida Panthers in March and signed with the Ottawa Senators this summer.