Flyers add Sean Couturier, Ryan Ellis to COVID protocol

The Philadelphia Flyers announced Sunday that center Sean Couturier was placed in the NHL’s COVID protocol on Dec. 21, while defenseman Ryan Ellis and two staff members entered protocol on Sunday.

There are now five Flyers skaters in COVID protocol, joining forwards Kevin Hayes, Morgan Frost and Max Willman.

Couturier, after hovering near a point-per-game pace for the last three seasons, has just six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 29 games this season (0.59 points per game). Despite that, he’s still averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game and is steady as ever defensively.

Ellis was already out of the lineup with a lower-body injury, but was expected to return around the holiday break. Injuries have limited him to just four games this season, his first with the Flyers after arriving via trade from the Nashville Predators.

Couturier, who will miss Philadelphia’s next two games, could be eligible to return on New Year's Day against the Los Angeles Kings. Ellis, as he was just added on Sunday, will miss more time. If healthy, he could return on Jan. 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, missing the Flyers' next four games at the least.