Is Sean Couturier a Franchise Player?

[ASquared]

Sean Couturier has developed into one of the best defensive forwards in 3 short years. Is he worthy of being called a franchise player?

http://thehockeywriters.com/sean-cou...nchise-player/

[The Bottlenecker]

Someone should send that link to Big Ev. LOL. I like Couturier and do believe he should be a Selke candidate, but calling him the franchise player in Philly is a bit too much.

[Dakkster]

Noooooooooope. Nope.

[27Blue]

Do you consider P. Bergeron a franchise player?

[Big Ev]

Do you consider P. Bergeron a franchise player?

Yes. Couturier is not Bergeron.

[27Blue]

Yes. Couturier is not Bergeron.

He's close already.

[Dakkster]

Nope.

[The Bottlenecker]

I see Couturier becoming Bergeron if and when he starts to contribute more offense. He isn't there yet.

[ASquared]

He's close already.

Agreed. He's been compared to Bergeron more than anyone else this year alone.

[Big Ev]

doesn't have Bergeron's skating or offense - Bergeron put up two 70 point season in his 2nd and third year

Also what's with the hockey writers on this site now?

[Dakkster]

doesn't have Bergeron's skating or offense - Bergeron put up two 70 point season in his 2nd and third year

Also what's with the hockey writers on this site now?

http://forums.dobbersports.com/showt...having-us-here

http://forums.dobbersports.com/showt...r-In-The-World

[27Blue]

doesn't have Bergeron's skating or offense - Bergeron put up two 70 point season in his 2nd and third year

Also what's with the hockey writers on this site now?

He doesn't have his offence yet - it could come, which is why there was a comparison made. The defense is the same, though. Plus, what Bergeron did offensively 8 years ago is irrelevant. He may have had 70 points, but that put him in the 40's for the scoring race and nearly 30 players scored 80 points back then and 5 cracked 100. It was a different game, lots of PP's... Bergeron is now a 50ish point player and I think Couturier could get into that range one-day.

[Big Ev]

Bergeron has 27 goals this year. Couturier has 27 in his 197 game career. I think it is a stretch to say he is a 50 pointish player, and a big stretch to say that Couturier is as good as him defensively. Bergeron is one of the best players in the entire NH - this isn't a knock on Couturier, who has shown nothing to suggest he'll be a big scorer like Bergeron has been.

[ASquared]

Bergeron has 27 goals this year. Couturier has 27 in his 197 game career. I think it is a stretch to say he is a 50 pointish player, and a big stretch to say that Couturier is as good as him defensively. Bergeron is one of the best players in the entire NH - this isn't a knock on Couturier, who has shown nothing to suggest he'll be a big scorer like Bergeron has been.

To say Couturier is nowhere near Bergeron defensively is false. He's a top tier PK forward with the ability to totally shut down the league's most prolific scorers. Couturier's offensive numbers are down for the simple fact that he's still developing, and he's predominantly played on the 3rd and 4th lines up until this year.

[Big Ev]

To say Couturier is nowhere near Bergeron defensively is false. He's a top tier PK forward with the ability to totally shut down the league's most prolific scorers. Couturier's offensive numbers are down for the simple fact that he's still developing, and he's predominantly played on the 3rd and 4th lines up until this year.

Until Couturier wins a Selke, is the best defensive forward on a Stanley Cup winning team, etc. etc. he will not be regarded as good as Bergeron defensively. Bergeron was been elite defensively for years. Couturier has just started, and some might not even say he's elite there since the Flyers give up their fair share of goals.

Right now, Couturier is a one-dimensional player. It's really that simple. Whether or not he develops the other dimension, remains to be seen.