Couturier was quite emotional when explaining his recovery.

Coots had undergone double back surgery over the past year and a half, and after eight gruelling months of therapy and recovery, he was finally cleared to play hockey once again.

This season would be the first one he experienced under head coach John Tortorella, and on day one, after going through his famous bag skate with the yellow rope, Coots seemed to handle it fairly well.

After the first day was done, he shared his thoughts on how he felt and where he might go as a player this season.

Torts was also thrilled to see him on the ice, not only because he gained one of the better centermen the team had been lacking for some time but also as a player who had been eager to play.

Coots also began to explain his recovery process and how tough it was to watch his team play without being a part of it, both physically and mentally, while going through a major surgery like that.

Now that he's been activated off the LTIR, Coots will be a cap hit of $7.75 million for the next seven seasons. This is welcome news for the Flyers, who have been desperate for center depth for the past two years. With his return, their top six will have a familiar yet refreshed look.

It remains to be seen how he will handle the rigours of an 82-game schedule after not playing since December 2021. Nonetheless, Flyers management and coaching staff are happier today.

Source - Healthy in camp, Couturier knows what's working and what's next by Jordan Hall NBC sports