He has the team playing the best it’s capable of in years
- ClaudeFather

Tough to argue argue that any other coach would be doing better w this team right now. I wound agree 100%.

Gotta continue to move special teams in the right direction, but I see and upward trajectory here. Much diff spot than last year and it kinda helps to have healthy young guys throughout the system.

Tough to argue argue that any other coach would be doing better w this team right now. I wound agree 100%.

Gotta continue to move special teams in the right direction, but I see and upward trajectory here. Much diff spot than last year and it kinda helps to have healthy young guys throughout the system.
- Joe Nardone

Very curious how management handles this off season

DeAngelo is on a 2-year deal. Given how things are going this year, the in season evaluation will conclude DeAngelo is not going to part of the solution here. I can't imagine he finishes his current contract here.

Not a contending team, not a playoff team.
Also not in the mix for a top pick.

No man’s land. With no end in sight. Being a fan of this franchise is a chore.
- PLindbergh31

The worst place you can be as a franchise, a bubble team that is cap-strapped and no top end talent in the system.

Very curious how management handles this off season
- ClaudeFather

Personally I think it is going to be more of the same hodgepodge combination of trying to "go for it" with overpriced signings and whatever draft strategy they can think of this year.

Resulting in a poorly constructed, capped out roster just bad enough to finish in the 20-25 range and just good enough to be out of the realistic running for really high end draft picks.

I am truly terrified as to what they will do with that freed up JVR money.

DeAngelo is on a 2-year deal. Given how things are going this year, the in season evaluation will conclude DeAngelo is not going to part of the solution here. I can't imagine he finishes his current contract here.
- jd250

Teams are going to be lined up to take on that 5M cap hit. At least there will be a chance this off season with only 1 year left. We need to give Fletcher some cap space so he can make some more moves.

Tony "D" with another -3, aiming for the Yandle Award.
- Tomahawk

He took responsibility for the giveaway on the 3rd goal, but I guarantee you they are reviewing Frosts coverage on that play this morning. He just got lost. After the give away, the Flyers were in an ok spot. Frost just got lost in coverage which will happen to a young center. Frost turned his body and shoulders the wrong way and that’s all it takes sometimes. Growing pains.

Don’t see TDA as culpable for the other two goals other than maybe trying to sell the OT penalty. That could have been a penalty on the keeper, but without a doubt was a penalty on Kopitar which the ref up high really needs to call. Kopitar even looked back which is usually a sign of guilt and he got lucky there was not a hook called. Still find the coach more guilty than the ref as I don’t need Sanheim and TDA out there at the same time in OT. Even w Atkinson and Selke hurt we still have 4 or 5 decent forwards w hands that can finish plays. No need for two d.

Due to his offensive production, he's a better player than Yandle but defensively, yea, pretty bad. We knew that when he was signed though. He is as advertised.
- MJL

$10M, a 2nd, 3rd and 4th round pick for exactly what was advertised ... Geez!

I don't understand why the Flyers are persisting with playing two dmen in OT when their OT record is terrible: 1 and 7.

And they have at least four solid forward combos they could be sending out in OT:

Cates-Konecny
Frost-Tippett
Hayes-Farabee
Laughton-Allison
- Feanor

The explanation from Torts is OT is a possession game and the Flyers were losing the possession battle by a large margin earlier in the season. Since going with 2D in OT the possession battle has evened out and the Flyers have been more successful. Still if you are going to go with 2D, Risto should be the one that is out there, since clearly he can skate and knows what to do with the puck.

Toronto only rotates their 4 elite forwards at 3v3, so they throw out 2D from time to time when they don't have possession:

Matthews 12:07
Marner 8:49
Nylander 8:19
Tavares 8:15
Rielly 6:36
Sandin 5:09


Torts has been running 2D exclusively for most of the season:

DeAngelo 11:28
Konecny 9:18
Sanheim 9:04
Hayes 8:24
Provorov: 7:19
Tippett: 5:24


There's no other team in the league with three D in their top-6 TOI. It would be one thing if the approach was working, but it's failing terribly. Yet Torts keeps doing it while Frost and Farabee mostly sit on the bench.

The article states that is not the norm for what Keefe does in OT. It also states that he is changing it up. Tortorella does it every time and the teams record is 1-7. Clearly two very different situations.
- MJL

Torts started out the season with 1D in OT and the Flyers were badly outplayed. After like the 6th OT loss Torts tried 2D. Its hard to play what you refer to as a "modern NHL system" with the current Flyers roster, so Torts does what any good coach would do, play the way that gives his team the best chance to win. Its worked a few times now and last night the Flyers were an inch away from winning the game on Laughton's shot from the high slot.

Toronto only rotates their 4 elite forwards at 3v3, so they throw out 2D from time to time when they don't have possession:

Matthews 12:07
Marner 8:49
Nylander 8:19
Tavares 8:15
Rielly 6:36
Sandin 5:09


Torts has been running 2D exclusively for most of the season:

DeAngelo 11:28
Konecny 9:18
Sanheim 9:04
Hayes 8:24
Provorov: 7:19
Tippett: 5:24


There's no other team in the league with three D in their top-6 TOI. It would be one thing if the approach was working, but it's failing terribly. Yet Torts keeps doing it while Frost and Farabee mostly sit on the bench.
- Tomahawk

What bothers me is I would like to see Frost up their in OT minutes, all that open ice is perfect for the game he plays.

The worst place you can be as a franchise, a bubble team that is cap-strapped and no top end talent in the system.
- jd250

cutter and bb to the rescue

What bothers me is I would like to see Frost up their in OT minutes, all that open ice is perfect for the game he plays.
- jd250

Torts is playing not to lose in OT. Fits the MO perfectly.

Personally I think it is going to be more of the same hodgepodge combination of trying to "go for it" with overpriced signings and whatever draft strategy they can think of this year.

Resulting in a poorly constructed, capped out roster just bad enough to finish in the 20-25 range and just good enough to be out of the realistic running for really high end draft picks.

I am truly terrified as to what they will do with that freed up JVR money.
- MBFlyerfan

They don’t have the money to throw around though, I can’t see them being too involved in free agency. I really hope they take a hard look at the roster and trade some players for assets. As much as I like the guy, you could get a haul for TK. Provy should also be moved.

The worst place you can be as a franchise, a bubble team that is cap-strapped and no top end talent in the system.
- jd250

Remember last Summer when right after they traded for Angelo, you argued viociferously with me that the Flyers would not be a cap team? Good times.

They don’t have the money to throw around though, I can’t see them being too involved in free agency. I really hope they take a hard look at the roster and trade some players for assets. As much as I like the guy, you could get a haul for TK. Provy should also be moved.
- ClaudeFather

But they act like they do. My worry is that in FA they will do more RR and TDA like signings. (yes I know technically neither were FA, but they may as well have been.)

I think you and I are on the same page as what they NEED to do. But what we think they need to do and what they think they need to do are probably not in the same ballpark.

Tony "D" with another -3, aiming for the Yandle Award.
- Tomahawk

I find he's regressed a lot in the new year. His defensive gaffes seem more frequent to me and always seem to end up in GA. Earlier in the year, I thought he was a little better and was producing more/moving the puck more effectively. Really struggling now.

Torts started out the season with 1D in OT and the Flyers were badly outplayed. After like the 6th OT loss Torts tried 2D. Its hard to play what you refer to as a "modern NHL system" with the current Flyers roster, so Torts does what any good coach would do, play the way that gives his team the best chance to win. Its worked a few times now and last night the Flyers were an inch away from winning the game on Laughton's shot from the high slot.
- jd250

What you state here is factually incorrect. They've been playing two defenseman in OT the entire season and they're 1-7. How can it have worked a few times when they've won 1 game in OT?

They don’t have the money to throw around though, I can’t see them being too involved in free agency. I really hope they take a hard look at the roster and trade some players for assets. As much as I like the guy, you could get a haul for TK. Provy should also be moved.
- ClaudeFather

I think it all comes down to Dave Scott and what he thinks he can sell to his fan base to make his revenue numbers. I personally believe the fan base is ready to hear and accept a rebuild, in fact I think they are begging for it. Any reasonable hockey fan can look at this team and say I don't want to invest my time or money in a team that I know is not going anywhere. However a team that is rebuilding and collecting assets that they can turn into potential top-end talent is something fans will invest in, I know I will. I'm not saying the Flyers need to rip it down to the studs because honestly they don't, the Flyers have good pieces here, players like Hart, TK and several younger players that are starting to develop nicely. They honestly just need to eat some salary and move out some veterans, bring up more young players and try to get into the top 5 of this draft. If they do that, fans will rejoice and next season the building will be banged out, I guarantee it.

I find he's regressed a lot in the new year. His defensive gaffes seem more frequent to me and always seem to end up in GA. Earlier in the year, I thought he was a little better and was producing more/moving the puck more effectively. Really struggling now.
- Hextall271

Agreed. His over all play has dropped. His play in his own end has been atrocious. Early on he seemed more confident….not so much now.

There is no such thing as a hockey system predicated on accountability. What defensive coverage does he play? Neutral zone checking. What breakout system? Neutral zone regroups? PK coverage. Let's talk systems.
- MJL

Do you still coach for the delco phantoms

But they act like they do. My worry is that in FA they will do more RR and TDA like signings. (yes I know technically neither were FA, but they may as well have been.)

I think you and I are on the same page as what they NEED to do. But what we think they need to do and what they think they need to do are probably not in the same ballpark.
- MBFlyerfan

Time will tell, let’s not get our hopes up for anything productive to happen haha

What you state here is factually incorrect. They've been playing two defenseman in OT the entire season and they're 1-7. How can it have worked a few times when they've won 1 game in OT?

- MJL

The Flyers did not start the season with 2D in OT, that is a fact! Torts changed it about a 5-6 weeks ago and talked about in one of his pregame pressers.

I think they have younger players that they should give a look. If they can move Angelo this season (without providing additional assets) then they should. Buy him out this offseason if he cannot be moved.
- mickel25

Zero chance for a buyout. He plays 23 minutes a night!!!