That Tortorella didn't actually pen it, doesn't make it shameful. Your take was that Fletcher and Scott didn't want to talk to the fans. That is not correct. The message that it sends is the issue.
- MJL

IYO, what message does it send? I thought the contents were fine although nothing that was not already said by Torts numerous times before for those who listen or watch his pressers.

You keep saying Torts is archaic, yet time and time again he proves he has adapted his style to the current NHL, and it obviously works since the Flyers are around hockey .500 which is a miracle given a current roster that is without a legitimate top line and top defenseman.
- jd250

He hasn't proven that he has adapted his style to the current NHL. Do you even know what that is? It's not a miracle. This team has a few good players and pretty good goaltending overall. .500 hockey is mediocre hockey.

IYO, what message does it send? I thought the contents were fine although nothing that was not already said by Torts numerous times before for those who listen or watch his pressers.
- jd250

The basic message it sends is that they're going to keep on doing the same old thing that they think STH are stupid. I'll repost what I said on the other thread.

Read it for what it is. The letter is insulting in a number of ways. They don't have a team or a player to market so their trying to market the fantasy of intangibles that pretty much every team has and a dinosaur coach because they have nothing else to market. There is only one way to restore the reputation of this team, and that isn't it. It's pretty much a letter to the STH trying to see how stupid they are.

The basic message it sends is that they're going to keep on doing the same old thing that they think STH are stupid. I'll repost what I said on the other thread.

Read it for what it is. The letter is insulting in a number of ways. They don't have a team or a player to market so their trying to market the fantasy of intangibles that pretty much every team has and a dinosaur coach because they have nothing else to market. There is only one way to restore the reputation of this team, and that isn't it. It's pretty much a letter to the STH trying to see how stupid they are.
- MJL

I don't disagree. You hear similar things from Jason Myrtetus who works for the team, that teams are more than just one player, or how has it worked for Edmonton or Toronto who have star players but can't win a playoff series? What he and others fail to understand is you need both star players and a complimentary team around them to be a true contender. The Penguins got Crosby number 1 and Letang in the same draft, but they already had Malkin and Fluery from the previous drafts where they drafted high. The Flyers have good players but they are all complimentary players. They need legitimate top line talent and unless you get extremely lucky picking later in the draft, the best way to get those players is to tank like Pittsburgh and Tampa did. Not every tank story ends in misery, not if you have the right people making the picks and developing the talent.

That game last night was a snooze fest. Typical Islander hockey.

The sad thing is that Fletcher and his cronies are modeling themselves on Lou's Islanders.

You keep saying Torts is archaic, yet time and time again he proves he has adapted his style to the current NHL, and it obviously works since the Flyers are around hockey .500 which is a miracle given a current roster that is without a legitimate top line and top defenseman.
- jd250

A roster that is well over the cap ceiling in LTIR being 24th in a 32 team league is a miracle?

Ok I can agree with that terminology.

Bottom line it's not like Torts was sitting at his desk under a light penning this letter like Mark Twain. This was written by people in the organization, I am sure with input from Torts, Fletch, and others, and Torts name was chosen to be at the bottom for optics sake.
- MBFlyerfan

What else do the the Flyers have to sell? It’s not the young stars on this team that will lead us into the future…..it’s not the savvy vet that drags us into the fight every night that everyone respects. The Flyers are left to sell us the things they can control, like hard work and commitment. It’s like a (frank)ing a Rocky 9 sequel, with the ghost of mickey yelling “what are we waitin for”.
Unfortunately until the Flyers revamp the lineup with some elite talent to match what the rest of the league is doing this is about as good as it’s going to get….I don’t think Torts can be expected to get much more out of this group.

A roster that is well over the cap ceiling in LTIR being 24th in a 32 team league is a miracle?
- Feanor

Yes, I don't care about the cap, I am looking at the players on the ice.

What else do the the Flyers have to sell? It’s not the young stars on this team that will lead us into the future…..it’s not the savvy vet that drags us into the fight every night that everyone respects. The Flyers are left to sell us the things they can control, like hard work and commitment. It’s like a (frank)ing a Rocky 9 sequel, with the ghost of mickey yelling “what are we waitin for”.
Unfortunately until the Flyers revamp the lineup with some elite talent to match what the rest of the league is doing this is about as good as it’s going to get….I don’t think Torts can be expected to get much more out of this group.
- landros 2

And unfortunately you are not going to get elite talent picking 9th in a good draft, need to get into the top 5 for that. Is Fletcher fired yet?

About this letter yesterday from Torts to STHs, something really bothers me about it. Not the content of the letter itself which I completely agree with, but that its coming from Torts, not Dave Scott. At the end of this year's Patriots season, Robert Kraft the very next day sent a letter to STHs telling them that the year just completed was completely unacceptable and changes would be made immediately. That was appropriate IMO because it came from the invested and engaged owner of the team. But here, you have a mid-season letter, basically cementing what Torts said in a prior presser that the team is building from the footers at this point, and its not coming from the CEO of the team, not even from the President/GM of the team, but the head coach? Apparently when it comes to bad news (which for most knowledgeable fans was actually good news) Scott and Fletcher can't be bothered to speak to the minions, so send the coach to do it? Shameful IMO!
- jd250

Fletcher’s words fall on deaf ears in Flyers Fandom. Dave Scott’s as well. It seems the hope is that the fans and STHs will be more receptive to Torts. At least that appears to be the calculation.

A roster that is well over the cap ceiling in LTIR being 24th in a 32 team league is a miracle?
- Feanor

A roster that is well over the cap ceiling in LTIR being 24th in a 32 team league is a miracle?
- Feanor

He believes that Tortorella should win the Jack Adams award for coach of the year.

I don't disagree. You hear similar things from Jason Myrtetus who works for the team, that teams are more than just one player, or how has it worked for Edmonton or Toronto who have star players but can't win a playoff series? What he and others fail to understand is you need both star players and a complimentary team around them to be a true contender. The Penguins got Crosby number 1 and Letang in the same draft, but they already had Malkin and Fluery from the previous drafts where they drafted high. The Flyers have good players but they are all complimentary players. They need legitimate top line talent and unless you get extremely lucky picking later in the draft, the best way to get those players is to tank like Pittsburgh and Tampa did. Not every tank story ends in misery, not if you have the right people making the picks and developing the talent.
- jd250

It took a while for Washington to surround Ovechkin, it took a while for Pittsburgh to surround Crosby and Malkin, Colorado a while to surround MacKinnon….you need elite talent to win, you also need a supporting cast. The Flyers seem determined to build the supporting cast without the elite part…

And unfortunately you are not going to get elite talent picking 9th in a good draft, need to get into the top 5 for that. Is Fletcher fired yet?
- jd250

It's more likely to get an elite player in the top 5 but you can get an elite pick with the 9th pick.

Fletcher’s words fall on deaf ears in Flyers Fandom. Dave Scott’s as well. It seems the hope is that the fans and STHs will be more receptive to Torts. At least that appears to be the calculation.
- mikeyo27

Exactly!

A roster that is well over the cap ceiling in LTIR being 24th in a 32 team league is a miracle?
- Feanor

Nashville, $2M under the cap, .563 pts%, -4 goal differential
Buffalo, $18.25M under the cap, .560 pts%, +16 goal differential
Detroit, $6.6M under the cap, .521 pts%, -15 goal differential
Ottawa, $4.25M under the cap, .510 pts%, -8 goal differential
Philadelphia, $4M OVER the cap, .490 pts%, -21 goal differential


One miracle is not like the others

Smart hockey fans will find the letter insulting.
- MJL

or entertaining

Smart hockey fans will find the letter insulting.
- MJL

I suppose. Not as insulting as saying we are getting ready for the stretch drive, only 7 points out of a playoff spot, going to turn this around quickly, 2-3 pieces away, aggressive re-tool, a blank check, or only 2 years away!

I’m bothered by them hiding Fletcher and penning Torts to the message. Folks want to think the organization is willing to change and approach building and developing differently but why don’t we hear it from the horse’s mouth?

And unfortunately you are not going to get elite talent picking 9th in a good draft, need to get into the top 5 for that. Is Fletcher fired yet?
- jd250

Lots of elite talent falls outside of the top 5….sure a lot of the real studs come from the obvious very top of the draft…but the really good teams, the really good franchises find pieces from all around the draft board….they develop guys and stick with them…case in point Boston….their 3 top guys Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak…all out side the top 20!!!
You would think as a Flyer fan you would realize a top 5 pick might also get you nothing. Wasn’t that long ago. Everyone wants a quick fix…

Yes, I don't care about the cap, I am looking at the players on the ice.
- jd250

Look with your eyes open and you will see the Flyers roster is well above tanking teams like Arizona and Chicago. Especially in goal, and even on defense. The GM traded three picks to acquire DeAngelo just this summer.

TK is cooling off. His shooting % coming back down to his more normal levels.

The market has been set for Nick Seeler types. Megna got a 4th

TK is cooling off. His shooting % coming back down to his more normal levels.
- hello it's me 2050

Unsurprising. He's now exclusively playing next to a center who's really a middle six LW.

Unsurprising. He's now exclusively playing next to a center who's really a middle six LW.
- Feanor

I would say he is ideally a 3rd line LW.

The basic message it sends is that they're going to keep on doing the same old thing that they think STH are stupid. I'll repost what I said on the other thread.

Read it for what it is. The letter is insulting in a number of ways. They don't have a team or a player to market so their trying to market the fantasy of intangibles that pretty much every team has and a dinosaur coach because they have nothing else to market. There is only one way to restore the reputation of this team, and that isn't it. It's pretty much a letter to the STH trying to see how stupid they are.
- MJL

Do you remember when Mike Missenelli called Flyer Fans Stepford Wives ? If you caught that movie you’ll know what I mean.

I suppose. Not as insulting as saying we are getting ready for the stretch drive, only 7 points out of a playoff spot, going to turn this around quickly, 2-3 pieces away, aggressive re-tool, a blank check, or only 2 years away!

I’m bothered by them hiding Fletcher and penning Torts to the message. Folks want to think the organization is willing to change and approach building and developing differently but why don’t we hear it from the horse’s mouth?
- NC Flyers Fan

The first paragraph, that is exactly what they believe.

The last, at least they're not so tone death to not realize that the message is best sent by Tortorella.