In a move that Tortorella put as holding players accountable and putting your best players on the ice to win, the decision to bench the longest tenured Flyer and the recently named team captain was not a popular one among Flyers fans, especially considering Tortorella himself was suspended for two games after an ejection against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Flyers desperately need Couturier and his leadership as they not only face the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, but the Flyers also are still fighting for a playoff spot with just over 10 games left in the season.