Flyers captain Sean Couturier made a shocking revelation today, telling reporters that he felt pushed aside by head coach John Tortorella.
The Flyers had what many fans would describe as a disaster of a season this year.
The team finished 29th overall in the league after nearly making the playoffs last year.
Truth be told, the outcome could have been worse as they at least have the 4th-best odds to win the draft lottery this year and will almost certainly be adding a top-five prospect to their pool regardless of how the lottery plays out.
That being said, how the team got to this position is questionable at best as there was a lot of unnecessary drama surrounding the club.
Much of that drama stemmed from head coach John Tortorella, which explains why the team fired him last month.
Now it seems as though Tortorella was even less popular in the locker room than we might have thought.
Flyers captain Sean Couturier clearly felt disconnected from the coach based on the way he was treated, which he revealed in his interview today.
He specifically said that he felt 'pushed aside' by Tortorella, and was not always given a good explanation as to why.
However, like any good leader, he emphasized his belief in the team, saying they just need to play together.
'I felt at times I was getting pushed aside. I didn't know the reason or I didn't agree with the explanations that were given to me, but whoever the coach is doesn't matter. We just need to be all in together.'
Hopefully Couturier and his teammates can pull out of the rebuild next season. We will just have to wait to find out.
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He’s undoubtedly the next big thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in terms of prospects – especially after the trade that sent Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins last season – but the next few months aren’t as transparent for Easton Cowan as some might want them to be. Coming off another strong season with the OHL’s London Knights, which included an OHL championship, a Memorial Cup championship and most valuable player honours in the Memorial Cup tournament, naturally Cowan’s next step would be to crack the Maple Leafs’ NHL roster. Right? But what if it isn’t that easy? There’s a reality here where Cowan misses out on the Maple Leafs’ roster again and starts the season elsewhere. Projecting the Maple Leafs’ Lineup As it stands, the Maple Leafs have four full lines with two other players ahead of Cowan on paper when it comes to the team’s depth chart – David Kämpf and Nick Robertson. The additions of Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli have filled voids in the lineup and speculation around trading away Kämpf and Calle Järnkrok still linger. That said, even if Brad Treliving were to move on from Järnkrok and Kämpf, that would leave one spot in the current projected lineup for an opening night roster. Enter Robertson, who has an arbitration date early in August and could land that open spot. Even then, rumours have swirled that the Maple Leafs are still in the market for a potential top-six forward that could push players deeper in to the team’s lineup and, as a result, bump Cowan a little further down the depth chart. Middle Six Protection is Ideal for Cowan Upon NHL Arrival Even with his production in the OHL, given the projected lineup for the Maple Leafs, Cowan will have to truly stand out in camp to crack the opening night roster for the 2025-26 season. It’s not a commentary on his inabilities, nor a lack of skill. Rather it’s a discussion of the necessary development needed to help him be successful and stay in the NHL when that time comes. It would be detrimental to Cowan if the Maple Leafs were to start him in the NHL and for him to find himself in and out of the lineup to kick off his rookie campaign. Likewise, filling in a fourth line role would also hinder his development. How is he supposed to take the next step in his growth with seven to eight minutes of playing time? When the time comes that Cowan makes the jump to the NHL, his spot should be in a middle-six role, with some powerplay opportunities. Playing a middle-six role would allow him to see 12 to 15 minutes of ice-time per game while still protecting him from playing against opposing top lines, at least to start his career. Now, that’s not to say he can’t work his way up the lineup into a top-six role. But it goes back to the old Detroit Red Wings’ mentality – what’s the rush in developing your top prospects? Maple Leafs Can’t Develop Cowan Like Robertson The issue with bringing Cowan into a bottom-six role too early is one that could affect his overall development. While it’s hard to compare two players – with both having different mental approaches to the game, different abilities on the ice and just overall – the rush to get a prospect into the NHL prior to developing their game at the AHL level has some recency bias when it comes to the organization. Take Robertson for example. A drafted, home-grown, talented forward who has been in and out of the Maple Leafs lineup since his debut in the playoffs in 2019-20, Robertson’s journey to become a regular for the team has been well-documented. The argument can be made that injuries played a role in setting Robertson back at times in his career, but they were just a piece of the puzzle that has hindered his overall growth at times. For the Maple Leafs to repeat this process with Cowan, it would be a mistake. Cowan has been highly-touted by the organization ever since they drafted him – surprisingly to some – with the 28th overall pick in 2023. Since then, he’s gone on to have 165 points in 100 regular season games in the OHL with two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup win. But that doesn’t mean his path to the NHL is done just yet. Maple Leafs Should Set the Path for Cowan’s Climb A start elsewhere doesn’t mean that we won’t see Cowan in the NHL this season. Having signed his entry-level contract, Cowan is ineligible to play at the NCAA level. But there is another option. Cowan can kick off the season with a strong AHL program in the Toronto Marlies. He would still be in the city – a city that thrives on their hockey – and he would be right around the corner from the big club. This would provide him the opportunity to take the next step in his development without exposing him right away to NHL-level criticism and opposition. The jump from major junior to the NHL isn’t always as smooth as we make it seem. In saying that, it almost seems irresponsible if the Maple Leafs don’t have that conversation with Cowan before sending him to the Marlies. Let him know that he’s the next to be called up if he can show that same level of commitment to the Marlies that he has throughout his junior career. If he can, and the Maple Leafs either make a move early in the season or have a significant injury, then Cowan becomes the next guy on the list to don the blue and white. It’s not necessarily about giving him an opportunity to jump straight from the OHL to the NHL, rather it’s about having the team communicate with the player to let them know where their head is at. As for Cowan, he’s a competitive player that believes he should be in the NHL and wants to be in the NHL. That desire alone will get him there in due time. But it’s fair for the organization not to cheat the development process with this particular prospect. It’s time to do it the right way and make sure they set Cowan up for success – with a long and prosperous career as a piece to a winning organization in the Maple Leafs.
It’s wild how quickly the NBA narrative can flip. A year ago, Zion Williamson was in every trade rumor possible. People were questioning his health, his work ethic, even his future in New Orleans. And the Pelicans? They didn’t really deny any of it. It felt like both sides were one step away from walking. But things have shifted this offseason — quietly, but clearly. The Pelicans could’ve pulled the plug. Zion’s contract gave them outs, and the trade market might’ve still brought back some real value. Instead, they stuck with him. And based on what one of their own just said, they’re not just keeping him around — they’re still betting big on him. In a recent interview with Spotrac’s Keith Smith, an anonymous Pelicans executive made it crystal clear. “Zion is still our guy. We’re all in on him. We think he’s going to have a huge year. We’ve had some bad injury luck and some things that just haven’t worked out. This partnership hasn’t even come close to reaching our best yet.” That’s not something you say if you’re halfway in. They backed it up with their offseason moves, too. They traded CJ McCollum and brought in Jordan Poole, a high-usage creator who can take pressure off Zion. They drafted Jeremiah Fears with the No. 7 pick, a dynamic young guard. They added Kevon Looney, a reliable veteran who brings playoff experience and toughness. Those aren’t tear-it-down moves — those are “let’s try this another way” moves. Of course, Zion’s health is still the question. That never really goes away. He played just 30 games last season, but in those games he looked solid: 24.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per night on 56.7 percent shooting. The explosiveness was there. The playmaking was sharp. And the hope for New Orleans is that this time, he can finally sustain it. What’s interesting is how the front office is trying to create a better environment around him. Joe Dumars has stepped in to lead basketball operations and is reportedly building a closer relationship with Zion — dinners, real conversations, not just surface-level stuff. It feels like, for once, the team is trying to meet him halfway. It’s a risk, sure. But it’s a calculated one. The West is brutal and the margin for error is thin. Still, if Zion can stay healthy for 60 games, and if Poole finds a rhythm and guys like Trey Murphy and Herb Jones keep improving — this team has a shot to be in the mix. The quote from the exec says it all. They could’ve hit reset, moved on, cleaned house. But they didn’t. They’re still in. And now it’s on Zion to hold up his end of the deal. After everything that’s happened, they’re telling the world they still believe. Now it’s time to find out if they’re right.
Jordan Goodwin spent the 2024-25 season playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. He had averages of 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 43.8% from the field and 38.2% from the three-point range in 29 games. This week, the Lakers waived the 26-year-old. Via ESPN's Shams Charania (on July 20): "The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Jordan Goodwin, sources tell ESPN. Goodwin emerged as a key rotation piece for JJ Redick late last season, playing 29 games and four playoff contests. Goodwin and Shake Milton were released to clear space for arrival of Marcus Smart." Many people reacted to the news on social media. @LakersLead: "Nooooo" @Fullcourtpass: "Looks like no trade coming for the Lakers" Jake Weinbach: "Lakers valued Goodwin but cutting him seemed to be the easiest pathway toward clearing space for Smart. Another contending team in need of backcourt depth should pick him up." @SportsMatt12: "The Lakers were the 3 seed in the West last season. They lost DFS, Markieff Morris, Jordan Goodwin, and Shake Milton. They added Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart and Adou Thiero. I think that’s easily a trade I make. The Lakers got better." Tony Jones: "Jordan Goodwin is going to have a big market" @Chase_OnX: "Hate to see Goody go but we need Smart. We need his defense. Show goes on." @HoodieNaz_: "he needs to be picked up he’s too good to not have a job" Goodwin has also spent time with the Grizzlies, Suns and Wizards over four seasons.
With a week until the MLB trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be aggressive. With needs in the bullpen and the outfield, there are plenty of ways to address the roster at the deadline. While the outfield market isn't great, the Phillies are, according to Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan, a Pittsburgh sports talk radio show, one of many teams looking to acquire the polarizing Pittsburgh Pirates star, Oneil Cruz. "Source: The Phillies are one of the teams that's trying to trade for Pirates CF Oniel Cruz." Fillipponi writes, "Philly has gotten terrible play in CF this year. And they are interested in seeing what Cruz could do in a lineup with Harper, Schwarber, and Turner. Good veteran influences. Stay tuned." While the Phillies' interest in Cruz doesn't come as a surprise, the language of this report from Fillipponi is noteworthy. Not only are the Phillies interested, but they're trying to trade for Cruz at the deadline. He would take over in center field for Brandon Marsh, and Marsh could then slide over to left field, replacing Max Kepler who has had his struggles this season. Adding a player like Cruz, who is 26 years old and is under team control through 2028, would cost a lot. However, the Phillies are reportedly willing to go all in this trade deadline and could part with some of their top prospects. Though if the Pirates ask for top prospect Andrew Painter, the Phillies won't budge. Every other prospect is on the table, including Aidan Miller and Mick Abel. Cruz, who hit a 513-foot home run in the 2025 Home Run Derby, is a highly sought-after player on the trade market. Even though Cruz is batting just .219 on the year, he will still draw plenty of intrigue from around the league. Part of what makes him so appealing is his power and speed. He's hit 16 home runs this season, which would be second on the Phillies, and has an MLB-leading 33 stolen bases. Cruz will cost a fortune, but according to this report, the Phillies are looking to land the polarizing Pirates' star center fielder at the trade deadline.