The idea is to stick with a coach. But in order to do that, his system has to "work". AV's system worked for a while, but faded. With a younger team like they have, has a better chance to stick around longer. The kids see some success and want to improve upon their entry level deals. If they see better results with Torts, they'll want to keep playing for him. Helps their contract negotiations. Look at Cates & Tippett. They're benefitting from playing in this system. In many ways, this is the first time they've had a "good" coach in a while. I made the mistake of thinking A.V. was better than he showed. Torts is making a believer out of me. He is showing something he hasn't done in the past, working with younger players, on a long term project. Let's hope nothing goes wrong !
- BluehorseShoe64

Cates is not benefitting from the system. The system is archaic and outdated. Cates is being misused as a center.

Fletcher gave up 3 draft picks to get DeAngelo. For what? On top of giving up picks to move Gostisbehere. Who is the same player. Just another bonehead move by Fletcher.
- MJL

Did you not read any of my posts ? I've laid out about 10 examples of how they are NOT the same player. If you can't see that TDA fits with this team, plays in ALL situations (did Ghost?) has chemistry with the other players, and is TRUSTED by the coaching staff, then you are just watching the commercials.

I don't know why ppl insist on comparing these two players. TDA makes more smart decisions in one game, then our defensemen did in 10 game stretches last year & the seasons before. Totally different look out there. And he wants to be here !!

Cates is not benefitting from the system. The system is archaic and outdated. Cates is being misused as a center.
- MJL

Cates would be in the minors with another coach. He plays center because he has the speed and the instincts to disrupt the opponent & cause turnovers, period. And most times he does that. He's still learning, but that is why Hayes is NOT in the middle.

Then Hakstol and Scott Gordon must have "robbed him" of his confidence too. Because his numbers started to drop with those 2 behind the bench before A.V. You must be a relative or something of Ghost. Use him correctly? A defenseman ? They are there to limit scoring chances of the opposition, first & foremost. Offense is second. If a player needs to pull back on offense to play proper D, then so be it. If he cannot pull it off, then anything is on the table. Both Provy & Sanheim have pulled back on their offense to play in Torts' system. They can certainly do more there. But, the coaches want them to be in the position required by the system. You can tell it's working because they are in most games now.
- BluehorseShoe64

You have it backwards. In today's NHL, offense is first and foremost. Playing more with the puck and attacking the other team more is how you defend. Defending too much in your own zone. No matter how well you do it. Is losing hockey. Tortorella plays a losing brand of hockey.

Nothing unethical about VPNs to get around geo-restrictions. Pirated streams are another question tho, lol.

I actually prefer away announcers for the most part (JJ bugs me!).

And jfc, DirectTV still doesn't have HD CI?
- Tomahawk

Do you have a preferred VPN

Did you not read any of my posts ? I've laid out about 10 examples of how they are NOT the same player. If you can't see that TDA fits with this team, plays in ALL situations (did Ghost?) has chemistry with the other players, and is TRUSTED by the coaching staff, then you are just watching the commercials.

I don't know why ppl insist on comparing these two players. TDA makes more smart decisions in one game, then our defensemen did in 10 game stretches last year & the seasons before. Totally different look out there. And he wants to be here !!
- BluehorseShoe64

I've read everything you said. I think you've been wrong about everything. I don't care how many examples you give. Any player can be played in any situation by a coach. DeAngelo has no business playing on the PK.

Cates would be in the minors with another coach. He plays center because he has the speed and the instincts to disrupt the opponent & cause turnovers, period. And most times he does that. He's still learning, but that is why Hayes is NOT in the middle.
- BluehorseShoe64

Conjecture and speculation. Cates
Was better last year playing as F1 on the forecheck and crashing the net. He does not have the puck skills to play center

Did you not read any of my posts ? I've laid out about 10 examples of how they are NOT the same player. If you can't see that TDA fits with this team, plays in ALL situations (did Ghost?) has chemistry with the other players, and is TRUSTED by the coaching staff, then you are just watching the commercials.

I don't know why ppl insist on comparing these two players. TDA makes more smart decisions in one game, then our defensemen did in 10 game stretches last year & the seasons before. Totally different look out there. And he wants to be here !!
- BluehorseShoe64

Okay they aren't the same player but clearly Philly isn't a contender. Not even a wild card contender so what was the point in wasting picks in both deals?

I agree with Bob. Look at it this way. If the Torts project fails, we as fans lose another 3 years minimum. Let's all try to think positive that Torts KNEW what he was getting into and accepted the challenge to turn this team around as a long term project.

I am actually fearful of the return of Coots. Can he play with pace ? It's a shame, but he does not skate like a young man out there. And what will he be like trying to get back to form ? Atkinson can play with pace. Even JVR looks "faster" out there. (who knew ?) Brink is young enough to overcome major surgery, was fast before. And Gauthier will be another young player to join these improving young forwards. We can only hope now that CF doesn't mess up the draft, or can pick up a good asset at the trade deadline.
- BluehorseShoe64

It's about health. If Couturier can come back healthy and regain his form. He is the best skater on the team

Okay they aren't the same player but clearly Philly isn't a contender. Not even a wild card contender so what was the point in wasting picks in both deals?
- Aaron_85

ND, MacEwen, Torts, Risto, TDA... all just sideshows to lure the fanbase back with the promise of renewed "Flyers hockey". Notice how Torts kept saying the team would reflect the city after he was hired -- that was obviously a management talking point.

Meanwhile, they've simply given up on transitioning to a 21st century approach. They're just gonna pretend that hockey hasn't progressed since 2011.

Think Brian Burke era Leafs pretending like it was 1995.

You have it backwards. In today's NHL, offense is first and foremost. Playing more with the puck and attacking the other team more is how you defend. Defending too much in your own zone. No matter how well you do it. Is losing hockey. Tortorella plays a losing brand of hockey.
- MJL

Wow. So you're telling me Ghost carried the puck ? When ? He approached the puck the same way EVERY time. Let me explain this system. For d men, either get the puck on net, get it deep, or cycle, period. That didn't happen with Ghost. He would shoot right into the shin guards of the wingers up by the blue line, puck ending up behind him most times. There are no coaches out there who want the puck BEHIND their playmaking d man at the point. Can't do what you claim is so important in today's game if you give up control so easily. If it wasn't blocked, it would miss the net with blinding speed, ricochet back out above the circles, prime for a counter rush. Ah, I get it. You were talking about the opponent being able to acquire & play the possession game against us, now I got it.

Once again, I don't want to go around in circles. Ghost probably fixed the problem after some time with the Yotes. After how long and how many coaches ? TDA is as advertised.

It's still the honeymoon period w/ Torts. Let's check back in 12-mos time and see if the players and fans are still feeling the same way. It tends to turn on a dime around these parts.
- Tomahawk

Especially with this guy.. his shelf life, while admirable, doesn't last long with a lot of the players, does it?
Maybe Torts has figured out that the younger players will buy in better than say the Kevin Hayes, Laine, and Kesler type players

Deslauriers is a below average skater. Hayes is significantly better.
- MJL

I think in a straight line race, Deslauriers wins

I would rather have Ghost, the two 2nds, the 3rd, and the 4th, along with the 500k in cap space for 2 less years.
- MBFlyerfan

And Ghost would be an asset to trade this deadline to get even more picks.

Ghost just didn't all of the sudden become bad with the puck. Leg injuries and AV tried to keep him from playing his game and robbed him of all his confidence. Benched him any time he tried to be creative and basically neutered him as a player. That is just my opinion, but seeing how he played before AV and after he was traded would seem to back that up.
- MBFlyerfan

Speaking of AV .. where has that guy gone to? Not even a TV gig somewhere from what I can tell. At least get a gig on TNT, they have shown they will hire just about anyone to spew marginal observations at this point.

You have it backwards. In today's NHL, offense is first and foremost. Playing more with the puck and attacking the other team more is how you defend. Defending too much in your own zone. No matter how well you do it. Is losing hockey. Tortorella plays a losing brand of hockey.
- MJL

Do you honestly think Torts wants the puck in his zone the entire game? The past several games the Flyers have produced much more offense than they could earlier in the season, and that is because they are generating many more chances and starting to convert them. In their last 6 games the Flyers have scored 5,3,5,4,4,4 goals which is almost a 5 goals per game average.

It takes time for a team to come together and get comfortable in a new system. I think Torts is not in the least archaic and is getting the most out of this roster. The team is attacking more, their possession metrics are much better and they are scoring!

Jiricek with a massive goal to tie with 38 seconds left

It's about health. If Couturier can come back healthy and regain his form. He is the best skater on the team
- MJL

Wow, if Couturier is the best skater on this team(assuming you mean speed) this team is in much deeper doo doo than I realized.

Speaking of AV .. where has that guy gone to? Not even a TV gig somewhere from what I can tell. At least get a gig on TNT, they have shown they will hire just about anyone to spew marginal observations at this point.
- jd250

I would think he would be more likely to get a TV gig in Oh Canada than the states.

Especially with this guy.. his shelf life, while admirable, doesn't last long with a lot of the players, does it?
Maybe Torts has figured out that the younger players will buy in better than say the Kevin Hayes, Laine, and Kesler type players
- Bob Habib

Perhaps you should go back and check Torts' employment record. He actually has had rather long stints everywhere with the exception of Vancouver.

I'd like to know where this belief that Torts is great at developing young players comes from.

Do you honestly think Torts wants the puck in his zone the entire game? The past several games the Flyers have produced much more offense than they could earlier in the season, and that is because they are generating many more chances and starting to convert them. In their last 6 games the Flyers have scored 5,3,5,4,4,4 goals which is almost a 5 goals per game average.

It takes time for a team to come together and get comfortable in a new system. I think Torts is not in the least archaic and is getting the most out of this roster. The team is attacking more, their possession metrics are much better and they are scoring!
- jd250

Torts has already proven to be a poor decision.

It does amuse me to see him complain about a lack of talent though. He would be preaching his same outdated nonsense if the Flyers had more talent. Playing the same system.

One trick pony, that talks a good game. Nothing more.

Wow, if Couturier is the best skater on this team(assuming you mean speed) this team is in much deeper doo doo that I realized.

- Phillywhiteout

He obviously meant skater in the sense of player that isn't a goalie.

He obviously meant skater in the sense of player that isn't a goalie.
- Tomahawk

I hope so.

He obviously meant skater in the sense of player that isn't a goalie.
- Tomahawk

I dunno... I really didn't look at the previous comments, but sometimes I wonder what he is actually watching on the ice.