Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Phantoms Win Game 1, Flyers Daily, Celebrity Bartender

Bill Meltzer: Quick Hits: Phantoms Win Game 1, Flyers Daily, Celebrity Bartender
- bmeltzer

Thanks Bill

As I have said many times, Risto is the best defenseman on the Flyers, and this story just antoher example of it. Archaic coach .. are you kidding me!

Thanks Bill
- corduroy

I wonder if briere can find any young guys who are blocked from playing time on other teams and take a chance.
I have a feeling that next year is going to look a lot like this year

I was curious to see what kind of season Oskar Lindblom had in SJ. 9 points in 73 games, -16. Looks like the illness really ended his career.

The podcast seems to be Torts explaining how he loses an NHL locker room over time.

The podcast seems to be Torts explaining how he loses an NHL locker room over time.
- Shrike

Have to agree here. Although he has had pretty long stints at most places he has gone. That combative thing has to get tiring after awhile, and it's a fine line between keeping it about hockey and making it personal. In the heat of arguments things get said. Torts needs to chill which we know prolly isn't gonna happen. I'm glad that he's weeding out some of the turds in the punchbowl, but ya gotta know when to back off.

Have to agree here. Although he has had pretty long stints at most places he has gone. That combative thing has to get tiring after awhile, and it's a fine line between keeping it about hockey and making it personal. In the heat of arguments things get said. Torts needs to chill which we know prolly isn't gonna happen. I'm glad that he's weeding out some of the turds in the punchbowl, but ya gotta know when to back off.
- Phillywhiteout

Right. Great leaders know that you need to use different motivational tactics for different people. Limiting yourself to only players who can be motivated by one specific method is utterly insane.

But yes, a few of these guys just simply don't have what it takes to be winners.

Use Torts to pull the weeds and get the locker room back on track, and then bring in a real coach to take the next step.

Charlotte did not attack the Phantoms in the 3rd period. Ian "the Great" simply opened the door and let them in. It was wave after wave because his shell defense would not allow the LHV d-men on the O-side of the red line. You have to have some serious talent to score 3 on 5. The guy is an absolute moron....

As I have said many times, Risto is the best defenseman on the Flyers, and this story just antoher example of it. Archaic coach .. are you kidding me!
- jd250

I actually take exception to this comment. Going into last summer or maybe it was very early into this season, I believe I was the only one who said I was willing to keep an open mind about Ristolainen. You were one who was very vocal in saying “if you wanna go down with the SS Risto, that’s up to you”. It’s just amazing the flip flopping I read in here all to prove how “right” one was. I like Ristolainen, I’ve made no secret of this. I think his physical play is necessary. He’s had a much improved season but I don’t believe he’s our best defenseman if sone of our guys really put the effort in as much as he has.

To me it sounds like Torts was pushing buttons on players to see which ones have heart and which ones are there for a paycheck. We found out who is who and now we need to get rid of 4 or 5 players and let the kids play next season.

Attard, Forester i would give a shot to and maybe lyksell in the bottom 6.

Don't sign anyone, and weaponize your cap space during the summer and at the TDL next year for picks. Take calls on any player on the team even Hart, this team is not going to compete in the next 5 to 7 years so load up on high end picks and once you have your core then go after a few vets to fill in slots.

Identify positions of need, Center, RHD, and a Sniper are 3 that come to mind. Don't just take the best player available, take the player the team needs for the future success.


Main thing is patience, this needs to be torn down to the ground. Will they do it?I know they should but will comcast allow it?

As I have said many times, Risto is the best defenseman on the Flyers, and this story just antoher example of it. Archaic coach .. are you kidding me!
- jd250

It's hysterical how you believe that story reinforces your opinion that Ristolainen is the best defenseman on the Flyers.

To me it sounds like Torts was pushing buttons on players to see which ones have heart and which ones are there for a paycheck. We found out who is who and now we need to get rid of 4 or 5 players and let the kids play next season.




- Flyerloon

Sounds to me that Tortorella lets personality conflicts factor in to whom he wants as a player. This to me is where potentially not having that firewall between the coach and the GM becomes an even bigger problem. The more I learn about Tortorella, the less I like him as a coach.

Charlotte did not attack the Phantoms in the 3rd period. Ian "the Great" simply opened the door and let them in. It was wave after wave because his shell defense would not allow the LHV d-men on the O-side of the red line. You have to have some serious talent to score 3 on 5. The guy is an absolute moron....
- mr4tno

Flyer play the same way if you hadnt noticed. It is the major flaw in torts scheme when you have mobile dmen who can push the puck up with the forwards it creates out man situations. But torts like to keep his box out scheme and if a dman pushing up ice theres a hole.

Are they also playing 2dmen and 1 forward in overtime on the phantoms?

Right. Great leaders know that you need to use different motivational tactics for different people. Limiting yourself to only players who can be motivated by one specific method is utterly insane.


- Quetzalcoatl

Completely agree. He is an archaic coach.

Sounds to me that Tortorella lets personality conflicts factor in to whom he wants as a player.
- MJL

Seems like the ones who stood up to torts and showed heart and accepted there flaws and did there best to improve there play. The ones who checked out mid season and just coasted thru second half are the trouble.

Seems like the ones who stood up to torts and showed heart and accepted there flaws and did there best to improve there play. The ones who checked out mid season and just coasted thru second half are the trouble.
- Flyerloon

Do you think there is potential for a really good player to not get along with Tortorella and offend his idiosyncrasies. Causing Tortorella to lobby against the player? We already know that he has mistreated good players and had to be forced to play younger players more.

Have to agree here. Although he has had pretty long stints at most places he has gone. That combative thing has to get tiring after awhile, and it's a fine line between keeping it about hockey and making it personal. In the heat of arguments things get said. Torts needs to chill which we know prolly isn't gonna happen. I'm glad that he's weeding out some of the turds in the punchbowl, but ya gotta know when to back off.
-PhillyWhiteout

Just as a point of reference, Bill Billichick does it the exact same way every Monday morning after a game. He has doen it this way for over 20 years, and the result was 9 super bowl appearances and 6 Super Bowls! Tom Brady complains about it now, but it clearly worked for quite a long time.

Do you think there is potential for a really good player to not get along with Tortorella and offend his idiosyncrasies. Causing Tortorella to lobby against the player? We already know that he has mistreated good players and had to be forced to play younger players more.
- MJL

Who has Torts mistreated? What facts do you have to back up this claim?

Who has Torts mistreated? What facts do you have to back up this claim?
- jd250

The fact that both Sanheim and Frost were scratched for single games in their hometowns with their family in attendance.

Just as a point of reference, Bill Billichick does it the exact same way every Monday morning after a game. He has doen it this way for over 20 years, and the result was 9 super bowl appearances and 6 Super Bowls! Tom Brady complains about it now, but it clearly worked for quite a long time.
- jd250

When and if Tortorella attains the same level of success that Belichick has had, then he can get away with that. Tortorella as done very little as a coach in 15 seasons since winning the with TB.

I actually take exception to this comment. Going into last summer or maybe it was very early into this season, I believe I was the only one who said I was willing to keep an open mind about Ristolainen. You were one who was very vocal in saying “if you wanna go down with the SS Risto, that’s up to you”. It’s just amazing the flip flopping I read in here all to prove how “right” one was. I like Ristolainen, I’ve made no secret of this. I think his physical play is necessary. He’s had a much improved season but I don’t believe he’s our best defenseman if sone of our guys really put the effort in as much as he has.
- SuperSchennBros

At the time, I was not in favor of resigning Risto. It was clear to me the Flyers needed to rebuild and resigning Risto and trading for and signing DeAngelo was the opposite of doing a rebuild. The Flyers were cap strapped and yet they spent $10M per on two defenseman that this team was not ready for and could not afford. So that is what I was referrring to. Going into this season, I was hopeful that Risto would take the coaching from Torts and Shaw and show improvement, and he did just that. He was one of the most steadiest defenseman on the Flyers this season, and performed significantly better than he did last season both 5 on 5 and the PK, and his offense started to come back. But most of all he took the coaching and improved. For the first time probably in his career he got real coaching and accepted it. So I give him credit. As another example, at the beginning of the year Frost was playing like he would be nothing more than an AHL player and I posted as such. Since then, he also took the coaching and improved and now I am excited to see how he does next season. Again, I am simply posting what I observe and in both these cases, the player significantly improved as the season went along. I am thus going to give them credit for that and I don't see anything offensive about this.

At the time, I was not in favor of resigning Risto. It was clear to me the Flyers needed to rebuild and resigning Risto and trading for and signing DeAngelo was the opposite of doing a rebuild. The Flyers were cap strapped and yet they spent $10M per on two defenseman that this team was not ready for and could not afford. So that is what I was referrring to. Going into this season, I was hopeful that Risto would take the coaching from Torts and Shaw and show improvement, and he did just that. He was one of the most steadiest defenseman on the Flyers this season, and performed significantly better than he did last season both 5 on 5 and the PK, and his offense started to come back. But most of all he took the coaching and improved. For the first time probably in his career he got real coaching and accepted it. So I give him credit. As another example, at the beginning of the year Frost was playing like he would be nothing more than an AHL player and I posted as such. Since then, he also took the coaching and improved and now I am excited to see how he does next season. Again, I am simply posting what I observe and in both these cases, the player significantly improved as the season went along. I am thus going to give them credit for that and I don't see anything offensive about this.
- jd250

What you have simply done is invent from fantasy instead of reality. That's why all of your conclusions are completely flawed. Think about what you're saying here. That in the past 9 NHL seasons, Ristolainen never had real coaching? You don't have to have a lick of hockey knowledge to know how ridiculous that statement is.

Do you think there is potential for a really good player to not get along with Tortorella and offend his idiosyncrasies. Causing Tortorella to lobby against the player? We already know that he has mistreated good players and had to be forced to play younger players more.
- MJL

I do not think he "mistreated" any player.

The fact that both Sanheim and Frost were scratched for single games in their hometowns with their family in attendance.
- MJL

OMG .. that is what you call mistreatment? Do you know what happened that prompted the respective benchings? Were you in the locker room? Perhaps both players didn't take his coaching? Perhaps both players didn't come to see Torts and have it out with him? Perhaps both players needed a kick in the arse and that was the best way to do it? I don't know if this is true or not, but to call being benched as mistreatment is exactly the attitude that entitles today's professional athlete, and its wrong IMO.