Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: On Trotz and Torts

If Clarke wants Torts than Torts it will be.

It is clear they want Trotz. Trotz playing it like the pro that he is.

Torts is the typical lazy easy hire imo. You will get the typical uptick in play. Over achieve and still not make the playoffs. With the 14th selection in the 2023 NHL entry draft the flyers take..........

Bill did they even talk to Gronberg or reach out?

The burnout factor with a guy like Torts is certainly there. I wouldn’t doubt he’d bring some semblance of order and better attention to detail, but how long would that last? On the flip side, his press conferences would be must see:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DQDAwxFWJwg

Bobby and Cam making the coaching decision...
Nice.
Can't believe they didn't even give Monty a look.
Pathetic.
Frost's "potential" will certainly be castrated under Tortilla.

The burnout factor with a guy like Torts is certainly there. I wouldn’t doubt he’d bring some semblance of order and better attention to detail, but how long would that last? On the flip side, his press conferences would be must see:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DQDAwxFWJwg
- Sublime55

Torts is a Company man for click bait and wild pressers.

Im ok with torts. He is the type of coach that can knock sense into this team. Hes had a lot of success over his career and he got a lot out of a poor columbus team. Lets also not forget he had columbus sweep the lightning on year too. One aspect torts brings that i would love to see is team discipline. While Yeo is not a good coach, somethings he mentioned do ring true like how players play the way they want, not the way that wins games. Torts also doesnt play mind games. He is quite direct and doesnt sugar coat things.

My preference however is still Trotz

Nothing changes with this organization until the learn to recognize special talent at the draft table. Look at the Stanley Cup winners of the last 30 years: almost every team has had at least 3 players of hall of fame or near hall of fame level talent in their prime. Does that describe anyone on the Flyers roster? Does it describe anyone in the prospect pool? The Flyers haven’t drafted a hall of fame level talent in over 25 years since Giroux in 2006.

Unless they improve the drafting, nothing else matters and is strictly marketing to save as many season tickets holders as they can.

Does it even really matter who coaches the Flyers next? Look at the teams that made the final four. Does the Flyers style of play even approach any of those teams. They aren't even in the same stratosphere when it comes to skating, passing, stickhandling and on ice awareness. The Flyers are the knuckle draggers of the NHL and will continue to be under either Tortorella or Trotz (or any other coach for that matter). Until they remove themselves from the 70's, they will continue to be the boring, unskilled team that they currently are today.

Whoever is hired looking forward to either saying lots of talent on the team, walking into a good situation, and more importantly cant wait to get this team back to playing flyers hockey. The media and the like will eat it up.

That’s a lot of info on Torts but it omits probably the most basic thing. His record, in particular his record in the playoffs. In his past 15 seasons he’s made it past the 1st round 3 times. That’s despite having goalies like Luongo, Lundqvist and Bobrovsky in their prime.. What is he going to accomplish with the Flyers roster? Mediocrity at best. Would much rather see someone with a record of improving young players.

https://twitter.com/AntSa...5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

That’s a lot of info on Torts but it omits probably the most basic thing. He record, in particular his record in the playoffs. In his past 15 seasons he’s made it past the 1st round 3 times. That’s despite having goalies like Luongo, Lundqvist and Bobrovsky in their prime.. What is he going to accomplish with the Flyers roster? Mediocrity at best. Would much rather see someone with a record of improving young players.
- Djapana

wont have to worry about the playoffs really with this crew.

That’s a lot of info on Torts but it omits probably the most basic thing. His record, in particular his record in the playoffs. In his past 15 seasons he’s made it past the 1st round 3 times. That’s despite having goalies like Luongo, Lundqvist and Bobrovsky in their prime.. What is he going to accomplish with the Flyers roster? Mediocrity at best. Would much rather see someone with a record of improving young players.
- Djapana

He's also the most recent coach -- in 12 playoff series -- to come away with a series win against Jon Cooper and the Lightning; in a sweep, no less.

He's also the most recent coach -- in 12 playoff series -- to come away with a series win against Jon Cooper and the Lightning; in a sweep, no less.
- bmeltzer

meaningless stat.

If going to lose rather watch a team lose 6-5 or 5-4 than 3-2 or 2-1 boring hockey.

Nothing changes with this organization until the learn to recognize special talent at the draft table. Look at the Stanley Cup winners of the last 30 years: almost every team has had at least 3 players of hall of fame or near hall of fame level talent in their prime. Does that describe anyone on the Flyers roster? Does it describe anyone in the prospect pool? The Flyers haven’t drafted a hall of fame level talent in over 25 years since Giroux in 2006.

Unless they improve the drafting, nothing else matters and is strictly marketing to save as many season tickets holders as they can.
- psuhockey

15 years, I think you mean?
Why should anything else matter to a business than revenue?

Thank you Bill for the continued coach search info and updates!

He's also the most recent coach -- in 12 playoff series -- to come away with a series win against Jon Cooper and the Lightning; in a sweep, no less.
- bmeltzer

Yes and that was his only playoff series win in six years with CBJ. You’re really cherry picking there Bill. His record getting past the first round stinks. If the Flyers are looking to return to their bubble team performances over the past decade, Torts is their guy.

Yes and that was his only playoff series win in six years with CBJ. You’re really cherry picking there Bill. His record getting past the first round stinks. If the Flyers are looking to return to their bubble team performances over the past decade, Torts is their guy.
- Djapana

Is that a reflection though of his coaching acumen or the limitations of rosters he coached though? I do agree that Tortorella at best for now, gets them back to playoff bubble status that they’ve been stuck in for the last decade, save for an influx of real game-changing talent.

15 years, I think you mean?
Why should anything else matter to a business than revenue?
- PT21

Consistently making and advancing in the playoff brings in more revenue than not doing that.

Is that a reflection though of his coaching acumen or the limitations of rosters he coached though? I do agree that Tortorella at best for now, gets them back to playoff bubble status that they’ve been stuck in for the last decade, save for an influx of real game-changing talent.
- Sublime55

His rosters had Vezina caliber goalies at every stop and he still accomplished nothing.

Yes and that was his only playoff series win in six years with CBJ. You’re really cherry picking there Bill. His record getting past the first round stinks. If the Flyers are looking to return to their bubble team performances over the past decade, Torts is their guy.
- Djapana

I'm cherry picking a massive upset -- in a sweep -- of a runaway President's Trophy team that has since gone on to win two straight Cups and is one series away from a third? Interesting.

I'm cherry picking a massive upset -- in a sweep -- of a runaway President's Trophy team that has since gone on to win two straight Cups and is one series away from a third? Interesting.
- bmeltzer

When you cite something that happens only one time, in one series, yes that’s the definition of cherry picking. Is that the guy they’re hiring or the guy that accomplished nothing in the rest of the past 15 seasons?

His rosters had Vezina caliber goalies at every stop and he still accomplished nothing.
- Djapana

How many Vezina winners have done it without a solid defensive structure around them? Very few.

I'm not even a huge Torts guy. But to say he's been anything but a successful NHL coach is downright foolish.

How many Vezina winners have done it without a solid defensive structure around them? Very few.

I'm not even a huge Torts guy. But to say he's been anything but a successful NHL coach is downright foolish.
- bmeltzer

Bill, do you get any sense that Flyers management would be willing to go down the tear-down route if things go sideways again next season? My sense is that they’re reluctant to do that. I just think trying to patch the roster with another high-priced FA is at best a band-aid under an “aggressive re-tool” and the issues run deeper. Thanks