Official John Tortorella (Torts) offcially named as Flyers new Head Coach

[OccamsRazor]

I'm going to wait to see the product on the ice the way I look at we have 2 good year to bitch about it if it all goes south quickly.

 

I just hope it works so I can watch some good Flyer hockey again - a team that plays a full 60 minutes and a team that will play for each other.

 

#fingerscrossed

[ruxpin]

5 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

 You talking about the coach or GM? Both?

Both

[OH1FlyersFan]

41 minutes ago, tucson83 said:

 

what do you want in a coach? someone that's throwing parties at the bench like that's why the sens, sabres, coyotes are a train wreck, there's no accountability.  look at the teams that have won cups, that are all no nonsense coaches. im not expecting a cup right now but at least you try to install a winning culture that keeps this team winning every year until some luck comes around and we eventually get over the hump. it took tampa seven years to get over the hump, you have to be patient.

I'd love if it was only a seven year,  get over the hump, be patient wait. Unfortunaly, I've heard that admonishment three times seven now. I'm 53 and only have so many seven year humps left. That mantra is pretty ponderous at this point. It's old and worn out. I'm still a Flyers fan, but just can't wrap my head around why they haven't been able to figure it out and learn and move forward from their mistakes. It's like a bad, low budget remake if Groundhog Day 

[CoachX]

20 hours ago, SCFlyguy said:

I’m weirdly optimistic about Torts

that is weird...

 

you ok?

[CoachX]

20 hours ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

But from a Philly standpoint...again, speaking on perhaps a subconscious level....maybe there is some predisposition to not liking this guy after spending so much time hoping the man falls on his face?

Philly fans want their sports players to conduct themselves on and off, in a humble and gracious manner. They want them to always say the right things, and show respect to their fans, the city, team and league. If they are brash, arrogant or egotistical, the Philly fan resents them, even to the hate level. It goes directly to the heart and passion of the fan

 

all of this is an amusing juxtaposition considering the reputation and exploits of the Philly fan

[CoachX]

Im obviously in favor of Torts. I like that he is an azz-kicker. Im also so dejected by how boring the Flyers right now, anything, ANYTHING, that is a change, gives me hope. I want to be interested in my team again. I want to be at work all day, waiting to see the game. I hope game one, he charges the opposing locker room and punches someone in the face (id settle for him benching JVR). I like what the guy had to say in the presser, and I will believe him that he wants to be here, wants to succeed, and has respect for our franchise

 

Im ready for the next domino to fall

[ctid]

I really like this hire. Not because I believe Torts will "fix" the Flyers as a team. No one person can realistically do that. But because I think he will push Provo, Konecny, Sanheim and all the young guys. He will be tough on them, and ask questions of them...with consequences. 

 

Whether they respond positively or not, is debatable. But they (we) need this accountability.

[OccamsRazor]

5 hours ago, ctid said:

I really like this hire. Not because I believe Torts will "fix" the Flyers as a team. No one person can realistically do that. But because I think he will push Provo, Konecny, Sanheim and all the young guys. He will be tough on them, and ask questions of them...with consequences. 

 

Whether they respond positively or not, is debatable. But they (we) need this accountability.

 

If nothing else Torts will help weed out the ones who don't fit and/or piss some off and they may want a trade before he is canned in two years getting things right for the next guy...

[OccamsRazor]

On 6/18/2022 at 1:23 PM, CoachX said:

Im obviously in favor of Torts. I like that he is an azz-kicker. Im also so dejected by how boring the Flyers right now, anything, ANYTHING, that is a change, gives me hope. I want to be interested in my team again. I want to be at work all day, waiting to see the game. I hope game one, he charges the opposing locker room and punches someone in the face (id settle for him benching JVR). I like what the guy had to say in the presser, and I will believe him that he wants to be here, wants to succeed, and has respect for our franchise

 

Im ready for the next domino to fall

 

This is his words and I ain't got a damn thing wrong with it in fact it is what I would come to expect from any good coach...

 

I kind of get coined as that defensive guy. You can coin me anyway you want; you can say what you want about me. That is a huge part of winning. As you see in the payoffs right now, as you listen to some of the players talking about it in the playoffs right now. It’s a huge part of being who you want to be and I think it really develops a standard of being a hard team to play against.

On the other side of that, I think you have to get out of the way. I do think we overcoach at times. It’s something I try to check myself daily as I’m dealing with the players, especially in the offensive part of the game. I don’t have the ability or the sight that offensive people have or the creativity that they have. I need to allow them to play, but it’s going to be a two-way street. It needs to be a two-way street.

Just show me that you’re willing to give us something away from the puck. I'm not going to turn you into a checker, but you've got to show me and more importantly show your teammates that you’re willing to do some of the other stuff as an offensive guy away from the puck. Then you have something and I think that’s what develops the right camaraderie of a hockey club. It develops the right attitude of a hockey club and how hard you have to be. I think it starts with your top guys.

 

 

...this is what it takes in today's NHL everyone working towards the one common goal.

 

And I agree there are a few on this team that will not like Torts. IDGAF. Do what he ask or GTFOH.

 

That simple. Wins is all that matters.

 

And all I will judge them on (well sure we will say something if it's a ugly lucky win) but you have to stack Ws.

 

Playoffs are a must.

 

As for myself just like with Chuck I will judge him on what he does in Philly.

 

Stay tuned.

[Cheesesteak]

I answered Unsure on the poll, but after reading many of the posts, saying many of the things I was thinking myself, I'm already to change my answer to A, F YEAH and let's get this season started HaHa

 

I know, there are lots of things that need to improve, but, I am ready to see a coach who holds players accountable and who lets them clearly know what's expected of them and if they don't like it...BUH bye.  I do really like that Torts seems genuinely excited to be here, that always helps, and I hope as he gets older he'll also get wiser, and MAYBE a bit mellower and learn how to be a better coach and the Flyers will benefit from his many stays before.   I don't know Torts style of coaching and am ashamed to say after watching since the 80s and still don't know much strategy in hockey.  I always selected "Crash the Net" style on Sega EA NHL back in the day and would just "one-timer" the **** out of the opposing goalie, what do I know.   Took me years to even realize why the refs would stop the game for no reason before learning what icing and offsides was.  

 

What I DO KNOW is, out of all the damn years of watching the Flyers, these past few years have been unwatchable  and boring AF and just want to enjoy watching Flyers hockey again and build a team that can compete for a cup. If Torts can make them fun to watch again and can be the catalyst to turn the team around, then Hell Yeah

 

I do think it's hilarious but Tropical Fruit Girl might have a point about latent hate for the guy.  

 

In the least, things won't be the same old same old....now we have to figure out how to get a real GM and replace the old guard and draft better and...

 

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Kevin-Hard-edged-Tortorella-was-born-to-coach-the-Philadelphia-Flyers/1/117824

Edited June 19 by Cheesesteak
added link....good article

[Fizz]

On 6/18/2022 at 7:38 AM, tucson83 said:

 

what do you want in a coach? someone that's throwing parties at the bench like that's why the sens, sabres, coyotes are a train wreck, there's no accountability.  look at the teams that have won cups, that are all no nonsense coaches. im not expecting a cup right now but at least you try to install a winning culture that keeps this team winning every year until some luck comes around and we eventually get over the hump. it took tampa seven years to get over the hump, you have to be patient.

Quite honestly this franchise will be a joke till Fletcher is fired.

Am I happy with Torts... No, but short term he might be ok.

But you can't play with the big dogs with a kennel full of puppies.

And that is what this team is full of and Fletcher keeps signing sub-par players to top end player money.

[Bertmega]

How do I feel about the JT head coach signing?

 

Well boys, I've been warming up the Lumina for my trip to Applebee's since last Friday. Got to get that juicy halibut and savor how long this franchise has let me down. 

[flyercanuck]

14 minutes ago, Bertmega said:

How do I feel about the JT head coach signing?

 

Well boys, I've been warming up the Lumina for my trip to Applebee's since last Friday. Got to get that juicy coconut crusted halibut and savor how long this franchise has let me down. 

 

 

FIFY.

 

Other than that, ya, it's been about that long!

[CoachX]

I was reading what Torts was recently quoted as saying. And it sounds pretty good to me. Of course, there will now be a barrage of comments about how he is following script, and doesn't mean any of it. How amusing is that? A guy (player/coach/etc) can't say a thing without it automatically being called lies and propaganda. Like any of us really know. And of course, should it turn out not to be "lies", those who claim it was will casually dismiss they ever said it. I get criticizing your favorite franchise for bad moves and lackluster seasons, but if you don't even want to give that franchise a chance, when they are trying to make changes, why bother wasting your time being a fan at all?

 

[flyercanuck]

3 hours ago, CoachX said:

I was reading what Torts was recently quoted as saying. And it sounds pretty good to me. Of course, there will now be a barrage of comments about how he is following script, and doesn't mean any of it. How amusing is that? A guy (player/coach/etc) can't say a thing without it automatically being called lies and propaganda. Like any of us really know. And of course, should it turn out not to be "lies", those who claim it was will casually dismiss they ever said it. I get criticizing your favorite franchise for bad moves and lackluster seasons, but if you don't even want to give that franchise a chance, when they are trying to make changes, why bother wasting your time being a fan at all?

 

 

 When AV was hired, what he said sounded pretty good. Every coach who's freshly hired is going to say the right things.

 

We're becoming became the Detroit Lions of the NHL. It gets harder to think "this is the year" every year when the team is going down.

 

Look, I think Tortorella will make the team better. But I also think with who's running the show they're only going to get so far...and that's not even close to contending. (when I say contending I mean for the cup). I don't want the Flyers ceiling to be maybe make the playoffs and anything can happen. That's just a bunch of BS that they feed to idiotic fans who don't know any better. Most people on this board are better than that.

 

 I've been a Flyers fan longer than pretty much anyone employed by them not named Clarke. I've given them chances. And more chances. And even more chances. And then some more. I'll always be a fan. But the idiots running the asylum are never going to bring a cup to Philly. If you can't see that, I don't know what to say. I'm not trying to be a downer, just a realist. I've seen enough incompetence from those clowns. They're a laughingstock. Holmgren and Fletcher just don't have the hockey mentality to build a winner. I mean they might build winners outside of their team with some of the moronic deals they swing...but I digress. So my hope is that this just implodes as quickly as possible, and they use the scorched earth approach with the entire management. Sadly, Tortsie will likely take us away from any shot we had at Connor Bedard, which would help bring this team back to respectability a lot quicker than anything Fletch does.

 

 C'est la vie.

Edited Thursday at 12:18 AM by flyercanuck

[tucson83]

36 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

 Sadly, Tortsie will likely take us away from any shot we had at Connor Bedard, which would help bring this team back to respectability a lot quicker than anything Fletch does.

 

 C'est la vie.

 

everyone wants bedard ever heard of a lottery when they screwed us giving us jvr over kane? you act like we can just tank how? who is going to take the big contracts when other teams are against the cap, that includes injuries, no trade clauses and carter hart, you want to move the only good goalie we ever had since the 1980s? actually it's not the coach that's going to prevent getting bedard, it's carter hart but if you think it's going to back to stopgaps and being the oilers with a star forward and no goalie is going to win cups, you are barking up the wrong tree.

Edited Wednesday at 11:16 PM by tucson83

[FireDillabaugh]

36 minutes ago, tucson83 said:

actually it's not the coach that's going to prevent getting bedard, it's carter hart

Not as long as Kim Dillabaugh is still the goaltending coach.  I love Hart, but Dillabaugh is holding his growth and improvement back.  He and Sandstrom/Fedotov deserve a coach that can actually help them improve and be quality NHL goaltenders.  Would love to see Hart succeed and carry this team on his shoulders like I believe he's capable of doing.  But, I just don't see it happening while Kim is settled on as his goaltending coach.  Unfortunately, I believe the mediocrity, inconsistency and questionable technique will only continue in goal.

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, tucson83 said:

 

everyone wants bedard ever heard of a lottery when they screwed us giving us jvr over kane? you act like we can just tank how? who is going to take the big contracts when other teams are against the cap, that includes injuries, no trade clauses and carter hart, you want to move the only good goalie we ever had since the 1980s? actually it's not the coach that's going to prevent getting bedard, it's carter hart but if you think it's going to back to stopgaps and being the oilers with a star forward and no goalie is going to win cups, you are barking up the wrong tree.

 

When I said scorched earth I meant with the management. There are players they need to get rid of...Hart isn't one of them.

[CoachX]

Its pretty obvious the current management isn't doing a good job. And for that reason alone, people should lose their jobs. That's just how things work. You don't meet expectations for the job your doing, you get fired. Focusing directly on Fletcher, this should be immediate. However, to conclude that this franchise is incapable of assembling a winning team is a reach. Every year, each team has a 1 in 32 shot of winning the SC. Thirty one teams will be unsuccessful. Do some teams have better chances than others, of course they do. But franchises go in long droughts all the time simply becasue of how hard it is to win the SC. I don't get when fans conclude the team has no chance of getting better, and openly bash the franchise for it, but stick around as a fan. It seems like a self brutalizing contradiction. If you hate it that much, and see no end in sight, why subject yourself to the torment? I keep hearing this described as being a, "realist". I don't think it really is. All you've done is taken what had already happened, and predetermined what will happen. Will you be right? Probably. You have 31 to1 chance of being right. I guess to some that's satisfying enough. But it not a 100% conclusion. Just because things have happened a certain way, doesn't mean it can't happen another way. Taking a player example, Ryan Hartman never scored more than 19 goal sin a season. I suspect everyone concluded he would never surpass 30. You had 9 years of definitive proof, right? Will he do it again? I don't know. But it would have been nice if he was still here when he did it.

 

Will Torts turn the team around? Again, I don't know. I've read opinions that one guy can't do it. Well you have to start somewhere. This seems like a good first step to me. And if having a modicum of faith means I'm not realistic, so be it. Its worth skipping the negativity.

[RonJeremy]

If you hate it that much, and see no end in sight, why subject yourself to the torment? 

 

Are you familiar with the term "glutton for punishment" 

[FireDillabaugh]

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

I don't get when fans conclude the team has no chance of getting better, and openly bash the franchise for it, but stick around as a fan.

Haven't seen anyone at all here state that this organization "has no chance of getting better".  What I've seen stated is that simply hiring a coach or trading for a few players will not make this team a Cup contending team while this organization's front office is still intact.  What I've seen stated is that until this front office is completely removed and replaced, the team will not be capable of being a Cup contender, whether you unrealistically give them a 1 in 32 chance or not.  And fans are entitled to their opinions, negative or positive.  And, just because a fan is unhappy and disagrees with moves that are made by an organization doesn't mean they aren't still fans of that organization.  Some of them enjoy this sport and have been fans of an organization before they ever had skates put on their feet.  But their passion for the organization can certainly still remain even when they disagree with how the team is being managed or how the players are playing.  Your question should be properly directed to those bandwagon fans among the league who continually, flat out state they are done with their team, or just disappear altogether, everytime that team goes through hard times.  There are differences there that you don't seem to understand.

 

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

It seems like a self brutalizing contradiction. If you hate it that much, and see no end in sight, why subject yourself to the torment?

Just because a fan disagrees with moves made by their team doesn't mean they "hate" anything at all.  It simply means they disagree.  Big difference between disagreement and hate.  And, again, fans are entitled to their opinions.

 

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

Just because things have happened a certain way, doesn't mean it can't happen another way.

True.  And just because things "can" happen a different way doesn't necessarily mean they "will" happen a different way.  And, when realizing the career that Chuck Fletcher has had(as one example), it's not very realistic at all to suddenly expect that mentality to change for the better.  Sure, it's great to hope it does change for the better.  But, there should be no surprise when it absolutely doesn't.  Chuck dug a HUGE hole for Minnesota while he was there.  And, it was finally just this year where Minnesota appeared to reach the exit of that hole and find some success.  Chuck has dug the EXACT same hole, if not a deeper hole, here for this organization.  And, it will probably take years to dig out of that hole.  But, the sooner this front office is wiped clean and replaced, digging out of that hole may possibly be sooner rather than later.

 

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

Will Torts turn the team around? Again, I don't know. I've read opinions that one guy can't do it. Well you have to start somewhere. This seems like a good first step to me.

That's your opinion.  And, again, people are entitled to their own opinions regarding the subject.  If you can't handle reading disagreements with your opinions, and need to make baiting posts like this(stating these opposing opinions are invalid) because of that, maybe you should utilize the site's ignore feature instead.

 

 

Edited Thursday at 06:01 PM by FireDillabaugh

[radoran]

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

Every year, each team has a 1 in 32 shot of winning the SC.

 

That's not how competitive sports work. Everyone doesn't start the season with an equal shot. These aren't 32 lottery balls.

 

Arizona doesn't have a 1-in-32 chance to win the Cup.

 

It is true that 31 teams will not win the Cup.

 

Which is why "Cup or bust" is a ridiculous way to define "success."

 

But I hope we can agree that one playoff win in 10 years isn't representative of "success."

[CoachX]

35 minutes ago, RonJeremy said:

If you hate it that much, and see no end in sight, why subject yourself to the torment? 

 

Are you familiar with the term "glutton for punishment" 

i became familiar with it in 1976, somewhere around the end of the NHL season

[flyercanuck]

3 hours ago, CoachX said:

Its pretty obvious the current management isn't doing a good job. And for that reason alone, people should lose their jobs. That's just how things work. You don't meet expectations for the job your doing, you get fired. Focusing directly on Fletcher, this should be immediate. However, to conclude that this franchise is incapable of assembling a winning team is a reach. Every year, each team has a 1 in 32 shot of winning the SC. Thirty one teams will be unsuccessful. Do some teams have better chances than others, of course they do. But franchises go in long droughts all the time simply becasue of how hard it is to win the SC. I don't get when fans conclude the team has no chance of getting better, and openly bash the franchise for it, but stick around as a fan. It seems like a self brutalizing contradiction. If you hate it that much, and see no end in sight, why subject yourself to the torment? I keep hearing this described as being a, "realist". I don't think it really is. All you've done is taken what had already happened, and predetermined what will happen. Will you be right? Probably. You have 31 to1 chance of being right. I guess to some that's satisfying enough. But it not a 100% conclusion. Just because things have happened a certain way, doesn't mean it can't happen another way. Taking a player example, Ryan Hartman never scored more than 19 goal sin a season. I suspect everyone concluded he would never surpass 30. You had 9 years of definitive proof, right? Will he do it again? I don't know. But it would have been nice if he was still here when he did it.

 

Will Torts turn the team around? Again, I don't know. I've read opinions that one guy can't do it. Well you have to start somewhere. This seems like a good first step to me. And if having a modicum of faith means I'm not realistic, so be it. Its worth skipping the negativity.

 

The franchise looked at Chuck Fletchers fairly lameass managerial skills from Minnesota and made him not only king of the Flyers but emperor as well. This was a guy who never won a division, let alone a conference, let alone a cup. This is a guy who left that franchise in cap hell. Then he came to Philly and started doing the exact same thing. We've all heard the phrase Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.  Well apparently Homer ignored it when he hired Fletcher, then Fletcher ignored it when he managed the same way he did in Minnesota.  I for one am shocked that it didn't result in a championship calibre team. Yes, that's sarcasm.

 

 I stick around as a fan because...I'm a fan of the Flyers. I hope one day we'll get real hockey people who have a clue what they're doing. The sad thing is I don't like any of the management, or the coach, or Haysee, or Ristolainen or JVR. So ya, it's been pretty tough. In case you haven't noticed. 

 

 Picture this, ok...somehow the Flyer make it to the cup final. Can you imagine our fearless lazyass leader Haysee playing against Nathan MacKinnon? Or Kucherov? Or McDavid? Or Matthews? He'd be just getting to centre as those guys are scoring. Can you imagine Fletchers other flagship acquisition Ristolainen defending against any of those guys in a best of 7? Those guys are our "nucleus", thanks to the genius at the wheel.

 

 What I don't get is that you actually think they can win. That is not reality my friend.  No offence, and I appreciate your positive outlook. I just cant see it. 

[CoachX]

19 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

What I don't get is that you actually think they can win. That is not reality my friend.  No offence, and I appreciate your positive outlook. I just cant see it. 

Dont misunderstand me, I DO NOT THINK THEY CAN WIN! No, not at all. Not in the current state. What I am saying is that they aren't doomed and incapable of turning things around, therefore building a contender. I also think I plainly stated, CF should be fired because he has done a way less than mediocre job.

 

22 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 Picture this, ok...somehow the Flyer make it to the cup final

I like it....keep going ......

 

23 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

Can you imagine our fearless lazyass leader Haysee playing against Nathan MacKinnon? Or Kucherov? Or McDavid? Or Matthews?

well that didn't last long  And to this point, NO, I cannot imagine that because I don't think they will get to a finals appearance with Hayes on the roster. He would be gone.