Tonight's forward lineup....

Tippett-Hayes-Konecny
Laughton-N. Cates-Farabee
Willman-Frost-MacEwen
Deslauriers-Sedlak-Bellows
- bmeltzer

1st line has one 1st line player in TK..3rd line C in Hayes and at best 3rd liner in Tippett
2nd line has two 3rd line players in Laughton and Cates( at best 3rd line) Farabee 2nd liner

3rd and 4th line is a bunch of unskilled 4th liners or non NHL players.
Just extremely minimal offensively skilled players and most playing above the slot they should be

He's not a fit here. He doesn't play Flyers hockey. Always trying to make a skill play. He needs to show that he can play away from the puck. Dump some pucks in the corner and then chase it down and take the body. Mix it up between the whistles. Cross check a few guys. Drop the mitts to try and fire up the team. Make a hit that rattles the boards and get the crowd ooohhing. Chip some pucks off the glass. Only then once he proves he can play Flyers hockey. Will he get a chance to use his skill and talent.
- MJL

lol

Hayes has 117 points in 187 games as a Flyer. That's 2C production. But defensively he's been mediocre at best. It's obvious but worth repeating that losing Couturier's 2-way presence was a massive blow to the forward group.

Hayes has 117 points in 187 games as a Flyer. That's 2C production. But defensively he's been mediocre at best. It's obvious but worth repeating that losing Couturier's 2-way presence was a massive blow to the forward group.
- Feanor

I don’t even like Hayes and I’d never mistake him as being a bottom six player. I just think he’s overpaid, far from a leader and was never the two way center he was being sold as when we signed him.

Tonight's forward lineup....

Tippett-Hayes-Konecny
Laughton-N. Cates-Farabee
Willman-Frost-MacEwen
Deslauriers-Sedlak-Bellows
- bmeltzer

Eww gross

I don’t even like Hayes and I’d never mistake him as being a bottom six player. I just think he’s overpaid, far from a leader and was never the two way center he was being sold as when we signed him.
- SuperSchennBros

It was interesting to me that from the very beginning Torts was mentioning Hayes by name. (paraphrasing) If Kevin Hayes lays down and blocks a shot that kind of thing rallies a team.....

It seemed to me that Torts was firing a shot across his bow from the very beginning. My interpretation was that he knows Hayes is a divisive guy in the locker room and his presence and personality divides locker rooms into his side and their side. Again just my opinion, but I think Hayes created his side of the locker room against Giroux and this split the team. I wont go as far as to say Hayes is a cancer, but I do think he marches to his own beat and does his best to get other players to march with him.

Hayes is about the name on his back more than the crest on his jersey. I thought that when it was reported that he said the Flyers will really have to overpay for him to play here.

Torts knew all about this. Hence his preseason statement directly naming Hayes.

Incorrect. Frost won over Yeo in the latter part of last season and was praised extensively with only a caveat (also given to Tippett) to not blend when things are going against the team but to keep playing with the confidence he'd been showing. In his final presser as head coach, Yeo said Frost had come a long way and seemed ready to break out .
- bmeltzer

maybe that is why they put him back in jail

Eww gross
- Shrike

Torts is one of the few coaches in the league who looks at his roster, sees at best he has the talent available to form two scoring lines, but says "nah, I'd rather have three checking lines".

I know I am in the minority here, but I actually really like Willman as a depth player. Problem is the Flyers already have quite a few depth players in the lineup. They also have several middle lineup forwards playing up. All while trying to develop young forwards and get them established.

It’s tough, but it is still an opportunity for him so I hope he makes the best of it.
- NC Flyers Fan

I said before the lineup release that I would prefer Willman over Bellows with Frost, just didn't ask for Mac too.

How has Bellows been since joining the Flyers?

Torts is one of the few coaches in the league who looks at his roster, sees at best he has the talent available to form two scoring lines, but says "nah, I'd rather have three checking lines".
- Tomahawk

It's funny because its true.

How has Bellows been since joining the Flyers?
- Vukota

Who?



(I guess that answers your question)

Allison out min of 3 weeks with hip issue, strained oblique

Allison out min of 3 weeks with hip issue, strained oblique
- wcorvette

Yeah, that is what it looked like. The way it whipped around seemed like he really hurt his hip.

Torts is one of the few coaches in the league who looks at his roster, sees at best he has the talent available to form two scoring lines, but says "nah, I'd rather have three checking lines".
- Tomahawk

He's adamant in trying to make Cates into a 2 way center. Instead of just playing him in the spot and role that he has had success in. Tortorella refuses to play Cates/Frost/Tippet.

Yeah, that is what it looked like. The way it whipped around seemed like he really hurt his hip.
- MBFlyerfan

So he is out for the season. Abdominal and hip injuries always turn into months out of the lineup after the Flyers docs get there hands on it.

How has Bellows been since joining the Flyers?
- Vukota

blowlows

It was interesting to me that from the very beginning Torts was mentioning Hayes by name. (paraphrasing) If Kevin Hayes lays down and blocks a shot that kind of thing rallies a team.....

It seemed to me that Torts was firing a shot across his bow from the very beginning. My interpretation was that he knows Hayes is a divisive guy in the locker room and his presence and personality divides locker rooms into his side and their side. Again just my opinion, but I think Hayes created his side of the locker room against Giroux and this split the team. I wont go as far as to say Hayes is a cancer, but I do think he marches to his own beat and does his best to get other players to march with him.

Hayes is about the name on his back more than the crest on his jersey. I thought that when it was reported that he said the Flyers will really have to overpay for him to play here.

Torts knew all about this. Hence his preseason statement directly naming Hayes.
- MBFlyerfan

Solid theory. Though to me if it was the case the coach before he took the job imo would have told the GM Hayes has to go. No matter what.

So he is out for the season. Abdominal and hip injuries always turn into months out of the lineup after the Flyers docs get there hands on it.
- mickel25

Those abdominal/hip injuries linger forever. Especially in skaters, who use and stress that area way more than a normal human.

Tonight's forward lineup....

Tippett-Hayes-Konecny
Laughton-N. Cates-Farabee
Willman-Frost-MacEwen
Deslauriers-Sedlak-Bellows
- bmeltzer

Torts seems like he wants to win in the short run with no vision for the long view. He is not putting Frost or Bellows in a position to succeed. Neither has shown much playing with slugs up to now. Does he see a different outcome with more of the same?

Torts seems like he wants to win in the short run with no vision for the long view. He is not putting Frost or Bellows in a position to succeed. Neither has shown much playing with slugs up to now. Does he see a different outcome with more of the same?
- Minnyhock

Neither player has earned it. Until they do, more of the same.

Solid theory. Though to me if it was the case the coach before he took the job imo would have told the GM Hayes has to go. No matter what.
- furio16

Yeah, possibly. IMO Hayes has the most untradeable contract on the team. Definitely in the top 3. I doubt he is going anywhere even with half retained. And I don't think Fletcher agrees with me anyway, nor Torts.

1st line has one 1st line player in TK..3rd line C in Hayes and at best 3rd liner in Tippett
2nd line has two 3rd line players in Laughton and Cates( at best 3rd line) Farabee 2nd liner

3rd and 4th line is a bunch of unskilled 4th liners or non NHL players.
Just extremely minimal offensively skilled players and most playing above the slot they should be
- hfc355

Fair observation.

Neither player has earned it. Until they do, more of the same.
- MJL

Put another way, maybe Torts doesn’t see them as part of the group moving forward.

Torts seems like he wants to win in the short run with no vision for the long view. He is not putting Frost or Bellows in a position to succeed. Neither has shown much playing with slugs up to now. Does he see a different outcome with more of the same?
- Minnyhock

Th3y n3eD to pLayZ tHe r!tE w@y!