The two New Brunswickers give the team an Acadian flavor.
Sean Couturier is entering his 10th season in the National Hockey League.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Frank Gunn
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Sean Couturier, who grew up in Bathurst, is happy to be back in action. He is confident the Flyers are on the right track.
I love our core of players, I love our team
, launches the attacker. We have roughly the same team as last year with young people who are taking a year of maturity.
Last year, Philadelphia rose to the top of the LNH after difficult years. Couturier experienced these empty passages before returning to the summit. He remains cautious, just like his young teammate, Philippe Myers.
Philippe Myers is welcomed to the bench by his teammates. He integrated very well into the group of players.
Photo: National Hockey League
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Our division is tough, for sure
, recalls the defender from Dieppe. But, everyone is in the same position as us. It will be necessary to be constant.
The pandemic forces the LNH to regroup its teams regionally, which will only play among themselves. Which means the Flyers will play against Boston, Buffalo, Islanders, Rangers, New Jersey in addition to their long-time rivals Pittsburgh and Washington.
Only the top four teams will compete in the playoffs.
We don’t see it as pressure
, explains Couturier. I think we see that as a challenge. We are in a very good division. But it will be very hard to predict who will participate in the playoffs or not because [la lutte] will be tight.
A good mix
Tuesday, the head coach, Alain Vigneault, analyzed the possibilities of success of his training.
What we say to ourselves is that with the profession of our young players (the goalkeeper) Carter Hart, Philippe Myers, combined with the quality of our veterans, we think that we are a team that can make the playoffs. playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup.
Alain Vigneault is the Flyers coach. A sign of the times, he must wear the mask during training.
Photo: AP / Yong Kim
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For the veterans, he did not directly name Couturier, but he is on the first line and is one of the assistant captains. He also won the Selke Trophy for his work as a defensive forward in 2020.
Sean Couturier is one of the leaders of the Flyers.
Photo : Associated Press / Gene J. Puskar
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They join the good players on the team, like Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny and former Halifax Mooseheads, Jakub Voracek.
We believe in our group
, says Couturier. But there is still a lot of hockey to be played. We will have to prove our talent on the ice
.
Myers is ready
With a new contract, Philippe Myers begins the season calmly. He knows that expectations will be high for him in his second season.
Philippe Myers is very young, but he’s not afraid to win, even in front of established players like Brendan Gallagher of the Canadiens.
Photo : Getty Images / Elsa
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I’m not trying to put too much pressure on myself. I’ll keep it simple. I will try to have fun. I will work as hard as I can.
The defender has progressed rapidly since his junior internship. Supporters adopted it quickly, to the point where it became a topic of conversation in Philadelphia blogs and podcasts.
Work is proof of everything, he says.
Protocol to follow
The season is finally taking off, after several months of negotiations with players and health authorities. The NHL wants to avoid an outbreak that would end operations at all costs.
Players must take their temperature every morning. In case of fever, they should avoid the team. There is a symptom questionnaire to be completed.
Once at the arena, the temperature is resumed, then a screening test with a swab is done.
This protocol is repeated every day, Myers says.
We try to avoid restaurants
, he explains. You have to be careful to avoid spreading COVID in the team. We are all aware of this and we do a good job, everyone accepts that.
We have nothing to complain about, we still live a very good life, a great lifestyle. I’m happy with the way it works. There are a lot of businesses that are closed because of COVID. We are lucky to be able to live our dream and continue to play hockey.
Caution is in order, especially as fans are eager to see their favorites again. A return to the game that will bring a little distraction in an era like no other.
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