Lavys attack first has gotten him 1 Stanley cup. Torts defense first has gotten him 1 Stanley cup.

Lavy has reaches the playoffs 13 times which includes this year. Torts has reached 12 times.

Lavy is in new york now with so much elite talent that they are a favorite to win the cup. Will he be considered a failure if they don't?
- WhiskeyMan

Hard to argue these points. There's no doubt Lavi has benefited with an elite team the past couple of years, compared to the players Torts has to deal with.

Gotta admit that I'm starting to sour on Torts. I don't want him to have power above coaching, and I'm afraid DB and Jonesy will be pushed over by the bully. I didn't like his last presser of the year at all. He was just very arrogant with the reporters that were asking fair questions and then he praised the Caps for the way they defended. I mean, for a game with that much on the line I thought that game with the Caps was a snoozer. My concerns are growing.
- Phillywhiteout

My take on this is still the same; Tortorella is the clown sideshow to keep the fans happy and the Flyers in the news while Briere and Jones build the team in the background. Nothing has changed. I don’t think he bullies Jones and Briere on personnel. It was reported on another site that he wanted Andrae up and Briere told him no. I think both Jones and Briere know this is very long rebuild so why not keep the clown out front during the crap years.

Hard to argue these points. There's no doubt Lavi has benefited with an elite team the past couple of years, compared to the players Torts has to deal with.
- dramado

I loved Lavy when he was here until I heard he was part of the reason Richards and Carter were traded.

I loved Lavy when he was here until I heard he was part of the reason Richards and Carter were traded.
- WhiskeyMan

I've always loved Lavy, but never heard that before. I knew that it was because of them partying too much, but didn't hear who in particular had the problem with it. I assumed it was management as a whole.

Laviolette's current team won the Presidents trophy and is a contender for the Cup. Laviolette has won the Cup, been to the Finals two other times. Tortorella has been past the 2nd round once in the last 17 seasons of coaching.
- MJL

How did last years Presidents trophy winner do? Only 8 presidents trophy winners have won the cup, the last one happening in 2012. so you can stop with that crap.

Is the goal to win the cup or make the playoffs?

Laviolette is a modern day NHL coach who understand that the NHL is an attack league. Not a defensive first league. If I had a great and talented team, Tortorella is the last coach I would bring in if the team was underperforming. He hasn't done squat in the NHL in 20 years. The game has completely passed him by. All he has done is brought structure to the team. That is his only bullet he has as a coach. He is poor at in game tactics, player deployment and offensive play. He is horrible with young players. The Flyers will never get anywhere in this league as long as Tortorella is involved. He is not what you think he is.
- MJL

Don't agree here. Lavy plays a 1-3-1 system which is NOT an attack style. You need to consult that strategy book of yours again! I think Lavy and torts are similar...one of them won a Cup in 2004 and the other in 2006. Not much difference in my eyes.

Laviolette's current team won the Presidents trophy and is a contender for the Cup. Laviolette has won the Cup, been to the Finals two other times. Tortorella has been past the 2nd round once in the last 17 seasons of coaching.
- MJL

Perhaps you should compare the Rags and Flyers rosters before spouting off. I could take the Rags to the President's Cup. Seriously, this is the first year boost that Lavy coached teams always gets, but you better strike while the iron is hot cause we know how it plays out after that first year.

do you have any facts or documentation to make that up? are you privileged to his medical file? or you just playing doctor cliff?
- hello it's me 2050

I watched Briere’s presser the other day….all this talk about being held hostage by the maniacal John Torteralla….I was watching to see if some one asked him about being a stooge or if he was still in charge….or even if he was safe!!….it was like Danny …blink twice if you need help.

The presser I watched the other day was Briere is on the exact page as his coach. Now you can debate if that’s good or bad, but I don’t buy at all or give Briere a pass that it’s some how Torts fault. They talk every single day…sometimes multiple times a day….all these decisions that Torts made, it appears DB was not only aware of but supported them.
Briere can’t fall into the trap of thinking he can “retool” his way to contention….it was always going to be getting a GM in here that was willing to trade his limited amount of talent for future talent that fit a few years down the road. Honestly I’ve seen mixed signals to this point.

Open question.

I’ve heard guys complain about the signing of Poehling and Hathaway…that somehow these two guys were blocking the progress of other young guys? I watched the phantoms a couple times over the weekend other the Laczynski, who can’t stay healthy who down there did these two block?

I loved Lavy when he was here until I heard he was part of the reason Richards and Carter were traded.
- WhiskeyMan

Pretty sure Lavy had a say…but that decision may have come from a little higher up…higher up then even the coach and GM, I had always heard they originally wanted to separate the two, but liked both offers so they pulled the trigger.

My take on this is still the same; Tortorella is the clown sideshow to keep the fans happy and the Flyers in the news while Briere and Jones build the team in the background. Nothing has changed. I don’t think he bullies Jones and Briere on personnel. It was reported on another site that he wanted Andrae up and Briere told him no. I think both Jones and Briere know this is very long rebuild so why not keep the clown out front during the crap years.
- psuhockey

what exactly is danny and "jonesy" building? any link on the Andrae comment as didnt see that one.

they are taking their orders from the coach/gm. keeping the clown around sets you back.

How did last years Presidents trophy winner do? Only 8 presidents trophy winners have won the cup, the last one happening in 2012. so you can stop with that crap.

Is the goal to win the cup or make the playoffs?
- WhiskeyMan

Baby steps….for the playoffs to a cup contender…..welcome to the salary cap world were parity is the name of the game. It’s Bettmans goal as it’s good for business…so many teams are good and with the right tweak could win it all…that is exciting and good for sales.….this year you could make an argument that at least 8 teams could win the whole thing and there’s only one presidents trophy winner…they are just one of a whole bunch of good teams.

How did last years Presidents trophy winner do? Only 8 presidents trophy winners have won the cup, the last one happening in 2012. so you can stop with that crap.

Is the goal to win the cup or make the playoffs?
- WhiskeyMan

The Canucks have never won a cup

Open question.

I’ve heard guys complain about the signing of Poehling and Hathaway…that somehow these two guys were blocking the progress of other young guys? I watched the phantoms a couple times over the weekend other the Laczynski, who can’t stay healthy who down there did these two block?
- landros 2

Hard to argue these points. There's no doubt Lavi has benefited with an elite team the past couple of years, compared to the players Torts has to deal with.
- dramado

Tortorella has had strong teams in NY and Vancouver that he did nothing with.

I loved Lavy when he was here until I heard he was part of the reason Richards and Carter were traded.
- WhiskeyMan

I've never heard that. Where did you hear that from?

Open question.

I’ve heard guys complain about the signing of Poehling and Hathaway…that somehow these two guys were blocking the progress of other young guys? I watched the phantoms a couple times over the weekend other the Laczynski, who can’t stay healthy who down there did these two block?
- landros 2

it was never about blocking anyone for me. no issue with poehlig singing then or now. GH was not needed for the flyers at this time.

now will they trade GH or re-sign him next deadline?

danny said they have no one on the phantoms ready to help next season. what a disgrace really to not have even drafted/developed just 1 player to play a 4th line role after all these years.

How did last years Presidents trophy winner do? Only 8 presidents trophy winners have won the cup, the last one happening in 2012. so you can stop with that crap.

Is the goal to win the cup or make the playoffs?
- WhiskeyMan

What does that have to do with Laviolette's record as a head coach? Does that mean that the current Rangers team is not a contender for the Cup this season.
Your post is unintelligent.

Exactly, people always latch onto that 1 season in Vancouver ignoring every other stop in his career.
- Schmojo

Tampa: Won a Cup behind multiple HOFers and the Bulin Wall putting up .933, not to mention an EXTREMELY favorable PO draw. After they lost Khabibulin he couldn't get them beyond the 1st-round again.

Rangers: Players mutinied on him, including Hank. AV took over and got them to the Finals.

Vancouver: Epic one season failure.

Blue Jackets: Parade of talented players leaving throughout his tenure. One playoff series win to speak of. Left the team in a shambles.


Torts' combined career regular season + playoff win% is .479...

What does that have to do with Laviolette's record as a head coach? Does that mean that the current Rangers team is not a contender for the Cup this season.
- MJL

is the rangers window closing? did they rebuild to fast or something to that effect ? isnt that what you said a last year?

Don't agree here. Lavy plays a 1-3-1 system which is NOT an attack style. You need to consult that strategy book of yours again! I think Lavy and torts are similar...one of them won a Cup in 2004 and the other in 2006. Not much difference in my eyes.
- Phillywhiteout

Wait a second, just the other day you said you don't reply to me. Have you changed your position?

Laviolette plays a 3-2 press forecheck. One of the most aggressive forecheck schemes. He plays a lock style neutral zone forecheck with elements of a LW lock. He is one of the most aggressive offensive coaches in the league and always has been.

it was never about blocking anyone for me. no issue with poehlig singing then or now. GH was not needed for the flyers at this time.

now will they trade GH or re-sign him next deadline?

danny said they have no one on the phantoms ready to help next season. what a disgrace really to not have even drafted/developed just 1 player to play a 4th line role after all these years.
- hello it's me 2050

I thought GH turned out better then I thought he would. I wonder sometimes is it that they don’t give these 4th liners a chance? I see that Devin Kaplan as a potential 4th line guy in the mold of GH.

Wait a second, just the other day you said you don't reply to me. Have you changed your position?

Laviolette plays a 3-2 press forecheck. One of the most aggressive forecheck schemes. He plays a lock style neutral zone forecheck with elements of a LW lock. He is one of the most aggressive offensive coaches in the league and always has been.
- MJL

what site did you steal that from cliff.

Perhaps you should compare the Rags and Flyers rosters before spouting off. I could take the Rags to the President's Cup. Seriously, this is the first year boost that Lavy coached teams always gets, but you better strike while the iron is hot cause we know how it plays out after that first year.
- Phillywhiteout

Maybe you should start your brain and realize that the context is about both coaches over their careers and not a one year comparison. As with your previous post in reply to me. You are ridiculously uninformed.

I thought GH turned out better then I thought he would. I wonder sometimes is it that they don’t give these 4th liners a chance? I see that Devin Kaplan as a potential 4th line guy in the mold of GH.
- landros 2

Kaplan isnt in that mold at all to me. He isnt scrapper/mucker like GH. He has skill. I have always said Kaplan will be an nhl player just not sure what role. He needs to step up next year imo and show more progress.

GH was the same he has been imo. Will not be shocked at all if he is extended.