Who on this team would flourish offensively under any coach? This team was 31st in goals scored last year and that was with Giroux on the team most of the year. There is no one on this team that is going to flourish offensively regardless of who is behind the bench. PLEASE FIRE CHUCK and thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

I could see Farabee taking another step offensively if he were on another team. Sadly, it will be very challenging to accomplish with the Flyers. But I think that has more to do with his supporting cast of players than it does with who the coach is.

Who on this team would flourish offensively under any coach? This team was 31st in goals scored last year and that was with Giroux on the team most of the year. There is no one on this team that is going to flourish offensively regardless of who is behind the bench. PLEASE FIRE CHUCK and thanks!
- Phillywhiteout

point is Torts is not an offensive guy. He preaches defense.

We've gone through this already. I hope Sanheim works out under Torts and stays here, but given the cap situation I don't see that happening.
- jd250

RR does not do anything very well. Except cash his check.

Like is Cam Atkinson really an ideal Torts type of player? Small, poor defensively, not a guy who's gonna be winning that many 1 on 1 battles. Not exactly a Coots or Laughts on the ice.

But you listen to the way Torts and Cam talk about each other and they're like father and son. A team-first attitude and caring persona go a long way with Torts and can make up for a lot.
- Tomahawk

I attribute that to the Danny Briere effect. Score enough goals, and all will be forgiven. And no, I don't have an answer to why that philosophy failed for Laine and Torts.

So DeAngelo being suspended at every level, not staying with any organization long term and basically being kick off the rangers mid season with no return doesn’t speak to DeAngelo’s character?
- SuperSchennBros

I didn't say DeAngelo was prince charming. I just have never liked Avery at all. He's a clown show that cares about himself only. DeAngelo is out of chances, so he needs to fly straight or he will quickly be vanished.

Sean Avery and Torts have had a pretty heavy war of words both during and when Avery was let go. Wanting to win is one thing, letting your emotions get out of control and being stubborn is another. Passing off an entire dressing room is unacceptable, which both Avery and DeAngelo have done multiple times.
- SuperSchennBros

Love Tony D and the attitude he will bring to that boring vanilla locker room.

Now I understand....Pat the Tushy 2 for 1
- Glak18

Touché, gentlemen.

point is Torts is not an offensive guy. He preaches defense.
- hello it's me 2050

Offense can easily be created by playing good defense, but knowing the Flyers they will have all 3 forwards parked in the crease.

I didn't say DeAngelo was prince charming. I just have never liked Avery at all. He's a clown show that cares about himself only. DeAngelo is out of chances, so he needs to fly straight or he will quickly be vanished.
- Phillywhiteout

Didnt like or dislike Avery until that Brouduer stuff as that was weak imo.

always liked Tie Domi until that Flyers incident where he ran. then went after Adam Burt

Didnt like or dislike Avery until that Brouduer stuff as that was weak imo.

always liked Tie Domi until that Flyers incident where he ran. then went after Adam Burt
- hello it's me 2050

Sean Avery is an idiot. TAD has actual talent.

Sean Avery is an idiot. TAD has actual talent.
- PT21

Avery had some skill and played his role fine.

He just bought into his own for lack of a better word hype. Made it as someone said about him.

point is Torts is not an offensive guy. He preaches defense.
- hello it's me 2050

He preaches responsibility. And as long as you take care of your own end you are free to be as creative as you want in the offensive zone.

Avery had some skill and played his role fine.

He just bought into his own for lack of a better word hype. Made it as someone said about him.
- hello it's me 2050

He was a 3rd line type who pretended to be more. He is no Tom Wilson. I miss the days when guys like him would personify the Rangers.

TAD has elite level offensive skills. It might be too late for him or he might be too hotheaded, but he could really benefit from some more attention to his defensive positioning/off the puck structure. Torts is an ideal coach for him to develop that skill, and showcase his talent and keep all the other crap out and get the big money contract his skill level could easily garner.

Didnt like or dislike Avery until that Brouduer stuff as that was weak imo.

always liked Tie Domi until that Flyers incident where he ran. then went after Adam Burt
- hello it's me 2050

I remember him looking to see if the ref was watching and while Burt was being held down by another player, Domi would punch Burt in the face, look to see if they were watching, and do it again. I threw my remote across the room and broke it I was so pissed off.

I've hated that scumbag ever since.

I already told you my take on those moves. They were largely made before the off season to try and squeeze a seat filling competitiveness/physicality from the roster.

No one was giving you a first for Risto. At least, certainly not high enough where Flyers did. The optics of a GM trading for a year of meaningless play and exchanging a middle first for a low first would have been too poor.
- PT21

Other teams seem to make moves to acquire firsts and additional picks when rebuilding. But yeah, Flyers!

Yep, and the optics now are just great. You are the .01% fan.

By not stocking up draft picks, they greatly reduce the likelihood of a successful rebuild. The idea that with fewer high picks over several years, that will be enough to start developing…? That is like gathering high end supplies that have a shelf life and then realizing you need an architect and a contractor and a foundation and basic supplies and a crew. Try to get all that put together before your high-end items require money and maintenance, if the high-end item even works. Seems backwards.

He was a 3rd line type who pretended to be more. He is no Tom Wilson. I miss the days when guys like him would personify the Rangers.

TAD has elite level offensive skills. It might be too late for him or he might be too hotheaded, but he could really benefit from some more attention to his defensive positioning/off the puck structure. Torts is an ideal coach for him to develop that skill, and showcase his talent and keep all the other crap out and get the big money contract his skill level could easily garner.
- PT21

I'm trying to find the article, but Torts has said he evolved over the years to view the importance of a roving defenseman who needs to have some leeway to produce offense from the back end. Again, all in the context of being responsible in your own end.

I remember him looking to see if the ref was watching and while Burt was being held down by another player, Domi would punch Burt in the face, look to see if they were watching, and do it again. I threw my remote across the room and broke it I was so pissed off.

I've hated that scumbag ever since.
- MBFlyerfan

Very odd to see as that wasn't his style at all. Nice guy to talk to though. Very down to earth

I remember him looking to see if the ref was watching and while Burt was being held down by another player, Domi would punch Burt in the face, look to see if they were watching, and do it again. I threw my remote across the room and broke it I was so pissed off.

I've hated that scumbag ever since.
- MBFlyerfan

He was a real dirt ball. I can't believe anyone on this board has anything positive to say about him. His son has some actual talent but moves enough to raise questions.

https://theathletic.com/1...ng-the-jackets-blue-line/

Zach Werenski is known for his even-keel demeanor, but a conversation with John Tortorella a few weeks ago in Minnesota got the defenseman a bit excited.

“He said he doesn’t consider me a defenseman anymore,” Werenski said with a bit of a smile. “He considers me a ‘rover.’ I have to take it with a grain of salt because … first and foremost, my job is to keep the puck out of the net, but I think it gives me the full green light to play offensively and go take chances, to be aggressive and stay up in the play.”

“Rover.” It’s a term Tortorella has come up with to describe the kind of play that comes innately from 20-year-old Werenski and also 23-year-old Seth Jones. It’s not just playing as an “offensive defenseman” and it’s not transitioning to forward.

“It’s staying involved even more on the offense,” Tortorella said. “It’s having enough guts when we’re rotating a puck offensively in the corner to go sneak down to the other corner so we can make an east-west play and spread the offensive zone.

So, we know these two young defensemen can move the puck and contribute offensively. But is there something to this “rover” concept bigger than just Jones and Werenski? Tortorella certainly thinks so. He thinks there are a few elite defensemen in the league who can perform this type of role at this level.

“This is where the game is,” Tortorella said. “You ask me this 10 years ago, there’s not a chance I’d be talking this way, but that’s where the game has gone to. I don’t want us to (just) be perfect defensively, I want us to take some chances.”

So take some of that for what it is worth. Obviously we don't have Seth Jones and Werenski. But it does show that he can adjust his philosophy.

He was a 3rd line type who pretended to be more. He is no Tom Wilson. I miss the days when guys like him would personify the Rangers.

TAD has elite level offensive skills. It might be too late for him or he might be too hotheaded, but he could really benefit from some more attention to his defensive positioning/off the puck structure. Torts is an ideal coach for him to develop that skill, and showcase his talent and keep all the other crap out and get the big money contract his skill level could easily garner.
- PT21

As far as Tony D sometimes you need to except the fact he will never be all that good defensively. Don't reinvent the wheel so to speak. Now doesn't mean he cant improve a little. I do not think he is as bad as some make him out to be in the D zone.

Let him do his thing to try to elevate other on the offensive end. If that outweighs the bad D then you made out fine imo.

Do you think Torts is the kind of guy who will take one of his players, bend him over his knee then spank him?
- Glak18

He learned the move from the clown faced poster on Flyers Buzz.

Other teams seem to make moves to acquire firsts and additional picks when rebuilding. But yeah, Flyers!

Yep, and the optics now are just great. You are the .01% fan.

By not stocking up draft picks, they greatly reduce the likelihood of a successful rebuild. The idea that with fewer high picks over several years, that will be enough to start developing…? That is like gathering high end supplies that have a shelf life and then realizing you need an architect and a contractor and a foundation and basic supplies and a crew. Try to get all that put together before your high-end items require money and maintenance, if the high-end item even works. Seems backwards.
- NC Flyers Fan

they are not rebuiliding though.

It’s pretty amazing when you see a 24 year old in Tkachuk pass on going “home” to STL to go to Florida because he wants to win. Then you have a 34 year old CC who hasn’t won anything choose to go home over going somewhere to win. Some guys want to win some guys are imposters who just chase that $.

Like is Cam Atkinson really an ideal Torts type of player? Small, poor defensively, not a guy who's gonna be winning that many 1 on 1 battles. Not exactly a Coots or Laughts on the ice.

But you listen to the way Torts and Cam talk about each other and they're like father and son. A team-first attitude and caring persona go a long way with Torts and can make up for a lot.
- Tomahawk

He also hustled every shift. Until the end of the game no matter the score.

He preaches responsibility. And as long as you take care of your own end you are free to be as creative as you want in the offensive zone.
- MBFlyerfan

To me, responsibility is what this team needs most. Our off-puck efforts have always been way too inconsistent for me, which has lead to horrible goals by wide open players or opponents getting to a puck while 2 off-puck Flyers guys just lollygag in that direction. If he gets the 5 on the ice to consistently play well, that will be an achievement. I also like that he frames expectations about the team pretty well so that no one listening to his comments expects a deep playoff run. That also protects his players. To read the news accounts, CF did not pick JT and some committee did. I think they got this one right and that does not account for the entertainment factor of him and our media.