Kind of the point I've been making. So you hire an outside the box coach, give him a poop roster and he's fired in 2 years. What does that accomplish?
- PLindbergh31

Hak was a developmental coach. Like John Stevens. He's supposed to be laying the groundwork and eventually somebody like Torts comes in and takes them over the top once the players are good enough.

Flyers have things ass backwards as usual. Firing the developmental coach while the team is still young. Then turning one of the youngest teams in the league into one of the oldest over the course of two summers... while pretending like AV and Torts are somehow gonna be able to turn this toad into a prince.

A good point, this team may be so bad it doesn’t matter. But still they should be tanking, not trying to hire a guy to get into playoffs.
- ClaudeFather

But we already knew that was going to be the plan. They want an aggressive retool that gets us back in the playoff hunt in 2-3 years. Flyers dont do rebuilds. Hextal didnt even do a rebuild. He even went as far to say it wasnt in the Flyers DNA. He half assed it by keeping the team competitive and not moving guys like Simmonds, Giroux, Voracek. Thats what hurt us most during his tenure. We were kept in limbo because he didnt move our top guys to gather assets for a rebuild and he didnt build around them to try and win either.

The Schenn trade for example, we got good value for him but it was a perfect example of Hextall doing two different things at once. We got pieces you would expect a rebuilding team to get but since Hextall was keeping the team competitive we really just lost a big piece to build around Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds. It makes no sense to me to keep these guys and just trade Schenn. Voracek's extension was signed 2 years prior to the Schenn trade. Simmonds was on a cap friendly deal if I recall correctly as well. Giroux would have been the only guy hard to move as he had a NMC on an extension signed prior to Hextall's tenure.

Hakstol was an outside the box hire. How'd that work out?
- PLindbergh31

I remember the board fondly....most hated it because he had no pro experience then continued that mantra throughout his tenure.

What coach teaches "not to win"? Chuck is a clown no doubt. But no coach is going to come in here and say, "hey guys we do not need to win, just try your best".

I think Torts will play the players he is given in the best way he sees fit. If you want to complain about the roster that is on the GM/organization.

Personally, I do not want a coach who does not want to win regardless of the state of the franchise.
- mickel25

who said anything about a coach not teaching to win?

Hak was a developmental coach. Like John Stevens. He's supposed to be laying the groundwork and eventually somebody like Torts comes in and takes them over the top once the players are good enough.

Flyers have things ass backwards as usual. Firing the developmental coach while the team is still young. Then turning one of the youngest teams in the league into one of the oldest over the course of two summers... while pretending like AV and Torts are somehow gonna be able to turn this toad into a prince.
- Tomahawk

I think torts is the right guy if nothing else to expedite the process into the flyers going full nuclear

Might as well try and get 5th for Frost now

I think torts is the right guy if nothing else to expedite the process into the flyers going full nuclear
- Just5

Yes, he helped Tampa, Vancouver and Columbus get to tank-ville against their will. He probably does that here, too.

Why would you hire a vet coach who is 95% a better match for a team that needs that kick in the ass to get them over the hump? The same players are still in the fold more or less.

I wanted a coach who is more in tune with how hockey is played in 2022. This is a bottom 5 team. There is no quick fix.

This organization has zero vision or plan. They are delusional. He is 64 years old. When things go south, and they will, you think he will have the same fire he had 15 years ago? This is a retirement contract for him. Probably will a senior advisor in 3 years.
- hello it's me 2050

I kind of think the opposite based on what your saying. If you want think outside the box why would you hire a young coach now if your thinking they will fail anyways with this roster. Have a vet coach to go through the lumps but also instill some sort of consistency in play and structure. Retool the roster and then when ready you can think outside the box to push the team forward like maybe looking a coach like Nate Leaman from Providence or whoever might be the next up and comer.

Yes, he helped Tampa, Vancouver and Columbus get to tank-ville against their will. He probably does that here, too.
- Tomahawk

I hope he is a Nate Thompson fan

Hak was a developmental coach. Like John Stevens. He's supposed to be laying the groundwork and eventually somebody like Torts comes in and takes them over the top once the players are good enough.

Flyers have things ass backwards as usual. Firing the developmental coach while the team is still young. Then turning one of the youngest teams in the league into one of the oldest over the course of two summers... while pretending like AV and Torts are somehow gonna be able to turn this toad into a prince.
- Tomahawk

Developmental coach clearly didnt work because none of these guys really developed anything but bad habits hence why Torts was brought in. Your young players should be taught how to play properly and have good habits instilled in them not the other way around. Makes no sense to bring in a guy like Torts when the young team is now middle aged and plays like they are still in juniors.

You want a development coach, hire them as HC of your AHL team where most development is done. An NHL HC needs to be able to teach young players how to play at the NHL level as well as leading the team over the top.

Fitting...Ugh

Lol, the muckraking begins...

https://www.crossingbroad...a-as-next-head-coach.html
- Tomahawk

"Additionally, a former NHL player who is close to both Tortorella and the Flyers said that Fletcher likely doesn’t want Torts as a coach because Torts is notoriously tough on general managers when it comes to the kinds of players he wants and doesn’t want to coach."

Why would this be considered bad?

A GM throwing a cluster of players together and saying "Do something with this"...sounds like the last couple decades.

I'd rather a coach have the players he needs to run the system he wants to play then always having to adapt to "basic" hockey just to get by.

Agreed, look at your players and figure out who you think fits moving forward. Move everyone else, sign a few veterans to ice a team and finish near the bottom.
- ClaudeFather

I am pretty much in agreement with you here. What happens to torts when chuckles gets canned? It will be a revolving door until they just bottom out and change organizational thinking

I kind of think the opposite based on what your saying. If you want think outside the box why would you hire a young coach now if your thinking they will fail anyways with this roster. Have a vet coach to go through the lumps but also instill some sort of consistency in play and structure. Retool the roster and then when ready you can think outside the box to push the team forward like maybe looking a coach like Nate Leaman from Providence or whoever might be the next up and comer.
- J35Bacher

A vet coach like Torts will not have much patience imo. What happens when Frost doesnt block that shot?

Unless they purge the roster I guess it wont matter who they have at the end of the day. This group excepts losing. They may not realize it but they do.

Ask yourself why does he want to coach this team?
- hello it's me 2050

Word is he is really into Cheesesteaks.

No one can answer that...they just know what they don't want.
- Glak18

Hakstol?

"Additionally, a former NHL player who is close to both Tortorella and the Flyers said that Fletcher likely doesn’t want Torts as a coach because Torts is notoriously tough on general managers when it comes to the kinds of players he wants and doesn’t want to coach."

Why would this be considered bad?

A GM throwing a cluster of players together and saying "Do something with this"...sounds like the last couple decades.

I'd rather a coach have the players he needs to run the system he wants to play then always having to adapt to "basic" hockey just to get by.
- Glak18

AV got the players he wanted.....

What happens when Frost doesnt block that shot?
- hello it's me 2050

Why does Frosty keep getting singled out lol

Yup, Yeo, AV, Hak and Chief all demanded a lot of things, benched plenty of players... but at the end of the day, if the kids don't all take a big step forward, if dudes like Carter Hart and Provy can't keep their heads on straight for an entire season, and if Ellis still can't play, then wtf is Torts gonna do that other guys haven't already tried? Yell and scream louder?
- Tomahawk

Will he be able to raise/find Frosty's game?
Will Frost regress or progress next year under the whip?

Perhaps Torts will have Vaclav Prospal as one of his assistant coaches? thoughts?

"Additionally, a former NHL player who is close to both Tortorella and the Flyers said that Fletcher likely doesn’t want Torts as a coach because Torts is notoriously tough on general managers when it comes to the kinds of players he wants and doesn’t want to coach."

Why would this be considered bad?

A GM throwing a cluster of players together and saying "Do something with this"...sounds like the last couple decades.

I'd rather a coach have the players he needs to run the system he wants to play then always having to adapt to "basic" hockey just to get by.
- Glak18

If I am going to cook dinner at least let me buy the groceries

Bill Parcels

His shelf life is far above average.
- Scoob

and far above the shelf life Flyers have for coaches.

Yup new coach is a big deal, direction is going to change, down in the toilet or cup champ. Or, it’s just a competent coach and the direction will depend on talent and the players.

A vet coach like Torts will not have much patience imo. What happens when Frost doesnt block that shot?

Unless they purge the roster I guess it wont matter who they have at the end of the day. This group excepts losing. They may not realize it but they do.
- hello it's me 2050

What happens if Frost develops into a sound player or Farabee scores 41 goals like Atkinson did under Torts.

My thing is I need to see what happens with the roster. I still think you can make good moves to help now and the future and still draft well. Again I think a big thing is they need to figure out the right way to develop players like good teams do.

And I know what has been said but I still feel like next year is a transition year and maybe they end up a bottom team but also maybe they at least have some consistency and structure to their game and I see progression with young guys on the roster.

Just talked to a source close to hiring process:

During Torts last interview he said "I can't stand the Penguins and their organization, what bothers me most is those whiny, arrogant turds and their self entitlement attitudes. Only time I want the other team to block our shots is if it's with their frankenstein faces."

The Flyers offered him the job shortly after.