Confirmed with Link: The new coach of the Philadelphia Flyers is John Tortorella

[Knarf9o5o1o4o9]

Interviewing poopier candidates than Torts just to get us to come around on Torts feels like an abuse tactic

 

[bennysflyers16]

Torts is gonna LOVVVVVVEEEEEE Seeler.

 

[renberg]

Well, to be fair, CBJ had missed the playoffs 5 of 6 years before Torts came to town, he took them to the PO four straight seasons.
That was a pretty young team, only players 28 or older were Jack Johnson, Tyutin, Dubinsky and Hartnell

Nor did they have elite offensive talent, Saad, Jenner, Wennberg, Atkinson, Johansen, Karlsson. Lots of 2nd line talent.
Johansen #4-2010, Murray D #2-2012, Werenski #8-2015, Dubois #3-2016 were their high picks.
Atkinson was their best scorer and he was a 6th rd pick.

So it's hard to judge Torts' impact on their scoring given they didn't exactly have a McKinnon, Maker, Crosby, etc.

It's a fool's errand to tank, because odds are you'll just end up drafting JVR and Patrick (or Kakko or . . .).

However, when you're not good enough to make a legitimate PO run, then it is a good strategy to take one or two steps back, focus on developing your young players and not worry about the playoffs - if they mature quickly and outperform expectations - problem solved - if not, you draft high for 2-3 years.

Flyers have good prospect depth, what they lack are the 2-3 top young players they need to fill out the top 6/top 4.
A roster 26 and under:

Farabee - ??? - TK
Lindblom - ??? - Brink
N Cates - Frost - Tippett
Ratcliffe - Lacyznski - Allison
??? - Desnoyers - Forester/Wisdom

Provorov - York
Sanheim - Attard
Zamula - Hogberg
Andrae

Hart/Fedotov/Ersson

So the needs are obvious, a couple young centers and a RHD. Maybe a LW.

I've watched Torts' teams in Columbus and DH is absolutely correct in his analysis that they were an offensively challenged bunch. This Flyers roster has more ability to score than what he had with the Jackets. What the Flyers have/will have for next season isn't a known factor as of yet but with a sensible use of their talents, they will score more.
I'm going to put this out there, and others will probably disagree with me, but Torts did manage to bring along the performance of a fair amount of young players. Sure wish that Sanheim or Provorov had come along as well as Werenski. Atkinson also played well under Torts. I would expect that most of the young Flyers will improve under Torts since he does have a system of play that he demands his players use. That makes things easier since roles are known. Now if a player is a Laine and just wants to go off of the reservation whenever he feels like it, there's going to be a problem.
Torts isn't going to be a Jack Adams candidate if he were to be here. One thing that would be true is that the silly shit that we have witnessed in Flyers games will stop. They will have a sensible system of play. They will come out ready to go when the puck is dropped. There will be accountability for poor play. The players will be in shape capable of playing hard for sixty minutes a night. Perhaps that isn' much but it will be better than what we have seen around here in recent seasons. And one more thing. There will be some players who will be requesting to be traded. Maybe that won't be a bad thing.

 

[ponder719]

Interesting. This probably is just a cagey way of saying "Trotz is deciding between Winnipeg and Philly," but interesting nonetheless.

 

[freakydallas13]

So the only way we get Deboer is if both Trotz and Torts decline?

That's not happening. Trotz is keeping his options open, but Torts will never turn this down.

 

[TB87]

Sure wish that Sanheim or Provorov had come along as well as Werenski.

Werenski, on a baseline level, is better than Provorov and Sanheim. That’s a player who would come along well with basically any coach. He’s that good that poor coaching wouldn’t impact him. Best defenseman from the 2015 draft. By far really.

 

[renberg]

Werenski, on a baseline level, is better than Provorov and Sanheim. That’s a player who would come along well with basically any coach. He’s that good that poor coaching wouldn’t impact him. Best defenseman from the 2015 draft. By far really.

You might be surprised at what recent Flyers' coaching can do to a player's performance.

 

[Knarf9o5o1o4o9]

Would Mike Babcock be the worst option to coach this team?

I mean if we're going down the road of Torts and Pete DeBoer, he's at least worth an interview

 

[Beef Invictus]

Yes. Stating that Torts "believes that skill is bad for the game" is the definition of hyperbole.

You telling me you weren't exaggerating? Taking his comments about one alley-oop play and generalizing it to cover skill in general?

Because I was just reading a book where Torts, watching a replay of his TB Cup series, raves about Lecavalier's skill level while making a skill play.

He also spent his time complaining about McDavid not focusing on defense. Even though he was defensively responsible. He just wanted less scoring.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

He also spent his time complaining about McDavid not focusing on defense. Even though he was defensively responsible. He just wanted less scoring.

I trust Tortorella’s evaluation of players’ two-way play over yours.

 

[AndHeMissedTheNet]

Interesting. This probably is just a cagey way of saying "Trotz is deciding between Winnipeg and Philly," but interesting nonetheless.

It's just easing fans into the reality of "if Trotz chooses Winnipeg, Philly will hire Torts unless even Torts realizes it's a bad idea to take this job, in which case Philly will hire DeBoer."

 

[freakydallas13]

Looking forward to seeing the beats polish the turd of Trotz coaching somewhere else and the Flyers having to settle with a choice of the scrap heap.

"We didn't get our guy, but Torts is SUCH a great person. The greatest. So nice. We wanted him all along"

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Looking forward to seeing the beats polish the turd of Trotz coaching somewhere else and the Flyers having to settle with a choice of the scrap heap.

"We didn't get our guy, but Torts is SUCH a great person. The greatest. So nice. We wanted him all along"

The reports indicate that Trotz is at least considering the Flyers and hasn't told them no, which shouldn't be possible if even half of the constant whining on here about the Flyers organization were true.

Head Coach of the Philadelphia Flyers is still considered a desirable job.

I'm convinced that there's a majority of posters here who would complain no matter who the Flyers hire.

 

[deadhead]

Thing is Torts doesn't seem to be the kind of HC who leaves a place a smoldering ruin.
He can rub players the wrong way, but he is a good communicator, even if the message isn't always appreciated.

Atkinson, who started as a young offensive oriented forward with him, loves him.

“We knew the direction we were going, which wasn’t a good one,” Atkinson said of Tortorella's arrival in 2015. “We knew what to expect, but I also knew from talking to a guy like (former Lightning Hall-of-Famer) Marty St. Louis what to expect out of Torts. He just said, ‘Work your (butt) off and you’ll be rewarded.’ I’ve taken that to the bank and used those words and tried to make the most of it. He’s definitely been one of, if not the most important, person in this organization.”

"former captain Nick Foligno also convinced Tortorella to stay."

of course, not all players could handle him:

"Tortorella's fiery interactions with players led to clashes, including memorable spats on the bench with former centers Pierre-Luc Dubois and Alexander Wennberg, each of whom is no longer with the team. Other players more easily sifted Tortorella's message away from his choice of words or tone."

John Tortorella will not return as Columbus Blue Jackets' coach

Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella will not seek a new contact, allowing his current deal to expire this summer and move on after six years.

www.dispatch.com

Those two playoffs were where Torts’s best coaching was on display. The Blue Jackets were outmatched on paper in terms of talent, but managed to play a cohesive, defensive-oriented game which shut down the opponents’ top scorers. It wasn’t always pretty hockey, but it was effective.

Over his six seasons, Torts showed an ability to change his schematic approach, while still maintaining his core principles of team-building. He demanded peak fitness from players, which he tested with a two mile run at the start of training camp.

Schematically, his early teams ended up being among the best in the league in goal scoring. He embraced positionless hockey for someone like Zach Werenski, who earned the green light to be a “rover” and join the offensive rush. When Artemi Panarin was here, he was not reined in; rather, Torts let him play his game, and then reaped the results. After Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky left in 2019, the team converted to a more defensive-oriented approach.

Torts has earned a reputation as being hard on young players, but several young stars thrived under his tutelage here, including Zach Werenski, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cam Atkinson, and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The former two were impact rookies from day one, and fit the gameplan perfectly.

There were plenty of bumps along the way, however. Friction with Ryan Johansen and Dubois led to those players being traded. He failed to develop former first round pick Sonny Milano and he oversaw the elite shot of Patrik Laine fail to produce goals for long stretches this season.

John Tortorella leaves a complicated legacy in Columbus

Torts and CBJ made a mutual parting on Sunday

www.jacketscannon.com

After the 2020-21 season, and after it was made public that Tortorella would not be returning to Columbus next season, the players were asked about their former coach, among other things, during their exit interviews. Since they wouldn’t be playing under him (most likely) anytime soon, there was no reason to pull any punches or sugar-coat their answers.

To a man, they said good things about Tortorella.

Dubois: “He’s a hard coach, I can take it. Nothing’s personal. I grew up with a dad who’s a coach and he told me if a coach challenges you, it’s never personal; he just wants what’s best for you. And that’s how I see ‘Torts’ and I have nothing but respect for him.

Korpisalo:
[When asked by my THW colleague Mark Scheig: How has Tortorella helped you?] “Bigtime. It’s six years with him. I was 21 years old when he came in. I was a rookie back then. Just how he handled everything here. I always respected him, and I think me growing as a player and more as a person with him, you know. What he expected of me every day. Every day I was coming to the rink, and he was being honest every time. It grew me as a person a lot, and just being thankful for him being always honest. I respect him a lot. Great season with him – I learned a lot, for sure.”

MDZ (who returned to Trots):
The thing with Torts, you know where you stand with him. He’s brutally honest. If you can take it, if you have thick skin, there’s no other coach you’d rather play for. When you play for coaches where you don’t know where you stand, it’s tough to have a conversation with (them). You’re not sure if they’re telling the truth or not with you. With him, you know where you stand every day, and that’s very hard to find. He wears his heart on his sleeve, too. He would do anything for his players.”

Tortorella: In the Words of His Players - The Hockey Writers Latest News, Analysis & More

Former Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, vilified by the media, beloved by his players.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[Beef Invictus]

I trust Tortorella’s evaluation of players’ two-way play over yours.

Tortorella is a one-way guy. Defense all day.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

Tortorella is a one-way guy. Defense all day.

Read deadhead’s post above.

 

[FlyerNutter]

It’s really as if they are trying to push fans away willingly.

Torts might have some positives, but this isn’t Moses leading us out of the sand. It’s obviously a controversial choice, but they want him this much?

 

[Adam Warlock]

It does sound like Trotz is way more of a possibility than I think most people assumed. While the old guards love for Torts is frustrating... they very well could end up with Tortz.

 

[captainpaxil]

I'm one of the fans who gets turned off by showboating. No it's not good for the game. The all star game sucks bananas and I'd never watch it 82 times a year.
For my entertainment dollar I'm enjoying troubas performance this playoffs. Even though while everyone says the flyers need to go smaller and faster the guys we have left playing are Braun and maroon

 

[JABEE]

Lightning aren't the Lightning without tanking. Stamkos and Hedman are tank picks.

Trotz may want to come here, because he expects to usurp Fletcher as the GM by the end of next season.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Read deadhead’s post above.

When he had talent he opened up. It lasted a single season. Give him a roster like the Flyers and it's shell time.

 

[sigma six]

I'm one of the fans who gets turned off by showboating. No it's not good for the game. The all star game sucks bananas and I'd never watch it 82 times a year.
For my entertainment dollar I'm enjoying troubas performance this playoffs. Even though while everyone says the flyers need to go smaller and faster the guys we have left playing are Braun and maroon

Good teams have to find a balance. I like physical play and sandpaper too, every team needs a few of those guys but you have to have your Gagnes and Brieres too. TK is the closest thing we have to that now, maybe Cam but the production hasn't been on par.

 

[BernieParent]

How hasn’t it worked? The top 4 teams this year all had multiple top picks on their roster.

It’s not my problem the Oilers can’t build around two of the best centers in the league. You don’t just tank and stop. You keep going looking for depth picks and trades etc.

Crosby and Malkin are two of the all time earners in NHL history. I think Crosby is the highest now. They have won 3 cups.

You NEED top end talent to build around. Couts was and hopefully is that guy and was picked pretty high himself. You only get those guys by tanking. If you time it like the pens then you get top end guys at all time best drafts.

The original quote from me was sarcastic though. I don’t want to be a mediocre team.

Well, that can't be true! The Flyers are picking 5th and they really, really tried to improve.

 

[freakydallas13]

The reports indicate that Trotz is at least considering the Flyers and hasn't told them no, which shouldn't be possible if even half of the constant whining on here about the Flyers organization were true.

Head Coach of the Philadelphia Flyers is still considered a desirable job.

I'm convinced that there's a majority of posters here who would complain no matter who the Flyers hire.

People complain about this team because the team is being run into the ground. They have done nothing to instill confidence in any of their decision making skills.

But please, continue to lick the current management's boots no matter what.

 

[Adam Warlock]

How hasn’t it worked? The top 4 teams this year all had multiple top picks on their roster.

It’s not my problem the Oilers can’t build around two of the best centers in the league. You don’t just tank and stop. You keep going looking for depth picks and trades etc.

Crosby and Malkin are two of the all time earners in NHL history. I think Crosby is the highest now. They have won 3 cups.

You NEED top end talent to build around. Couts was and hopefully is that guy and was picked pretty high himself. You only get those guys by tanking. If you time it like the pens then you get top end guys at all time best drafts.

The original quote from me was sarcastic though. I don’t want to be a mediocre team.

You also need to have an organization that isnt a dumpster fire and can actually develop talent. Intentionally trying to throw out bad line ups to lose for years n years pretty much ensures failure because your young players are going to start their nhl careers playing for shitty unstructured teams. The top of the crop guys may over come that, but most young players will struggle. This is why Buffalo and Edmonton failed at their endless tanking approach.

Until the Flyers can fix their entire organization so that they can develop their players better, they arent gonna be successful. Intentionally tryimg to be bad is not fixing that problem. Instead of worrying about the Bedards of the world, they need to focus on making the Farabees, Yorks, and Harts of their team be the best they can be.

Tampa got their top 2 picks but also developed kuch and point. You need a balance.

Flyers will be picking top 5 for the 2nd time in 5 years...they need to hit on this pick.