It's clear that his play dropped off but if it wasn't for physical reasons, to let something heal or to give him some time off due to high usage. What does scratching him accomplish? He was an obvious choice to be named captain it just didn't make sense to go as long into the season without a captain and then name him
- MJL

Yeah the timing was stupid and for only one reason. To sell jerseys. Personally I think it was dumb to name him then. Why? Off for 2 seasons see how it plays out. Name him at start of season or end maybe. Timing was horrible.

Enjoy the evening all. When it comes to political discussions on this forum I am out. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Nothing good can come from it. Just like the Flyers rebuild 🤓

I bought my Late Brother a “make America great again” hat…guy loved it..
- landros 2

Should’ve gotten the sneakers. They really pop

Yeah the timing was stupid and for only one reason. To sell jerseys. Personally I think it was dumb to name him then. Why? Off for 2 seasons see how it plays out. Name him at start of season or end maybe. Timing was horrible.
- Stayin alive

Personally, this is pure speculation of which I have no proof of and may be a bit on the conspiracy side of things. I think that Tortorella didn't want to name a captain and resisted most of the season. He finally relented to pressure to name a captain and then in protest. Shortly after naming a captain, decided to scratch the newly named captain. To reassert his control

Enjoy the evening all. When it comes to political discussions on this forum I am out. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Nothing good can come from it. Just like the Flyers rebuild 🤓
- Flyfly

You're not going to take advantage of having the opportunity to have PT21 educate you? You're missing out.

It’s pretty clear who should be the next President. To me anyway. Don’t think it will end up that way however.
- furio16

In a perverse way, I won't be disappointed. I thought it was a passing phase. Now, I feel eople need to suffer. Nothing helps clear thinking like suffering.

There are 3 policies of his that I am sort of hoping he enacts, again in that perverse way:
1. Mass deportations
2. 60%. tariffs on China
3. Tax cuts.

With a guy like that, in whom dishonesty is pathologically hardwired, you never know if he will actually do each or any. But he is dumb enough to do all 3.

And then. OH BABY!!

Enjoy the evening all. When it comes to political discussions on this forum I am out. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Nothing good can come from it. Just like the Flyers rebuild 🤓
- Flyfly

Biden just introduced Zelenskyy at the UN…. “Please welcome President Putin”….. now that was funny.

Enjoy the evening all. When it comes to political discussions on this forum I am out. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Nothing good can come from it. Just like the Flyers rebuild 🤓
- Flyfly

Hang on. I am leaving to play tennis. Its my birthday. I took the day off. 🤣🤗

It's clear that his play dropped off but if it wasn't for physical reasons, to let something heal or to give him some time off due to high usage. What does scratching him accomplish? He was an obvious choice to be named captain it just didn't make sense to go as long into the season without a captain and then name him
- MJL

This is the problem I had with the scratch.

First off, he basically carried the team for the first half of the season after being out almost 2 years. Torts played him a LOT. Then he started getting dinged up more and more as the season went on. Yes as his played declined his usage declined.

Then he was named Captain, something that was only surprising by its timing. Because we all knew he should be the Captain. He is the most respected player in the room.

The players knew what he was going through on an injury level, they see what happens in the training room, the maintenance days etc etc, yet he was still getting out there and giving what he had.

Then he gets scratched. Ok fine. Torts could have said it was because he was banged up, its affecting his play, he needs some time off to get right. Instead he says about as flippantly as he could, "he needs to play better." As if Sean Couturier, would hear that and go, wow, why didnt I think of that?! Thanks Torts.

Torts knows about Couturiers health status, Torts knows by ground him in to the ice for the first 4 months of the season, and instead of protecting his leader, he throws him under the bus.

Was it an attempt to pull a Mike Keenan and try to unite the room against him? Maybe. Whatever it was, I feel like it backfired because not one guy in that room thought Sean (frank)ing Couturier, their Captain, was dogging it or not giving everything he had. Torts made him look bad, embarrassed him publicly, and the room did not take kindly to it. Even Couturier, always the good soldier, felt he had to speak publicly about it.

Torts then calls the whole room soft.

Torts then realized he made a mistake and tried to walk it all back, but the damage was done.

Hang on. I am leaving to play tennis. Its my birthday. I took the day off. 🤣🤗
- PT21

Wait, before you leave. Give us another fake epitaph. Or maybe racially insult some group of people. Or announce some of your fake credentials to show us you're superior. You know, the stuff you're good at.

We’re #1! We’re #1!

In a perverse way, I won't be disappointed. I thought it was a passing phase. Now, I feel eople need to suffer. Nothing helps clear thinking like suffering.

There are 3 policies of his that I am sort of hoping he enacts, again in that perverse way:
1. Mass deportations
2. 60%. tariffs on China
3. Tax cuts.

With a guy like that, in whom dishonesty is pathologically hardwired, you never know if he will actually do each or any. But he is dumb enough to do all 3.

And then. OH BABY!!
- PT21

Fantasy land comrade.

Personally, this is pure speculation of which I have no proof of and may be a bit on the conspiracy side of things. I think that Tortorella didn't want to name a captain and resisted most of the season. He finally relented to pressure to name a captain and then in protest. Shortly after naming a captain, decided to scratch the newly named captain. To reassert his control
- MJL

Based on his play the coach had very valid reasons for benching Couturier.

You can disagree he shouldn’t have or not like it but based on play alone it was within reason.

This is the problem I had with the scratch.

First off, he basically carried the team for the first half of the season after being out almost 2 years. Torts played him a LOT. Then he started getting dinged up more and more as the season went on. Yes as his played declined his usage declined.

Then he was named Captain, something that was only surprising by its timing. Because we all knew he should be the Captain. He is the most respected player in the room.

The players knew what he was going through on an injury level, they see what happens in the training room, the maintenance days etc etc, yet he was still getting out there and giving what he had.

Then he gets scratched. Ok fine. Torts could have said it was because he was banged up, its affecting his play, he needs some time off to get right. Instead he says about as flippantly as he could, "he needs to play better." As if Sean Couturier, would hear that and go, wow, why didnt I think of that?! Thanks Torts.

Torts knows about Couturiers health status, Torts knows by ground him in to the ice for the first 4 months of the season, and instead of protecting his leader, he throws him under the bus.

Was it an attempt to pull a Mike Keenan and try to unite the room against him? Maybe. Whatever it was, I feel like it backfired because not one guy in that room thought Sean (frank)ing Couturier, their Captain, was dogging it or not giving everything he had. Torts made him look bad, embarrassed him publicly, and the room did not take kindly to it. Even Couturier, always the good soldier, felt he had to speak publicly about it.

Torts then calls the whole room soft.

Torts then realized he made a mistake and tried to walk it all back, but the damage was done.
- MBFlyerfan

In a perverse way, I'm hoping for more of that from Tortorella. One, a team tuning him out will not play well and that will be good to get a higher pick. Secondly and most importantly, hoping it leads to his firing before he gets his paws into a elevated position in the front office. Which would be a disaster for this franchise.

Fantasy land comrade.
- Uncle Vanya

😂

Hang on. I am leaving to play tennis. Its my birthday. I took the day off. 🤣🤗
- PT21

What? Never mind…

Fantasy land comrade.
- Uncle Vanya

We were really suffering in Trumps first term before Covid, weren't we? Not like now, with how great things are. Please welcome, President Putin! I mean Zelensky

Looking at the past can predict the future. And right now the future is more of the same - just as you said. I just think it is going to take a lot of luck to get it right. Something the Flyers always seem to be short of outside of MM falling in their laps.
- Flyfly

That is why this off-season does not make sense. There has got to be another move happening, there has to be.

That is why this off-season does not make sense. There has got to be another move happening, there has to be.
- jd250

Agree on all aspects. 👍

We’re #1! We’re #1!


- StepfordSam

Yeah Baby! Flyers hockey! Can't beat em? Beat them up!

Can't wait for the first time Michkov pisses off Torts early in a game and sits on the bench for the rest of it.
- Feanor

Next year, Tortorella is a lame-duck coach and 67 years old. The Flyers have to make a decison BEFORE then if they are going to extend his contract or find a successor HC (likely with Tortorella being in a different role in the organization). Tortorella has said that he stayed on one season too long in Columbus, and coaching a lame duck season was a mistake in hindsight. From an org standpoint, per Tortorella's own words, he should have been replaced with one year left on the contract.

I think it would be the same situation here if it were to play out that way. I think there's a good chance the Sullivan is out in Pittsburgh after next season: Cup window is closed, Pens have missed playoffs in b2b seasons, and it could very well be three in a row. Remember that Sullivan is Tortorella's protege and buddy but 10 years younger.

It'd be a doable sell. i'm not the biggest Sullivan fan but I could see the line of thinking and I think Michkov would thrive.

In a perverse way, I won't be disappointed. I thought it was a passing phase. Now, I feel eople need to suffer. Nothing helps clear thinking like suffering.

There are 3 policies of his that I am sort of hoping he enacts, again in that perverse way:
1. Mass deportations
2. 60%. tariffs on China
3. Tax cuts.

With a guy like that, in whom dishonesty is pathologically hardwired, you never know if he will actually do each or any. But he is dumb enough to do all 3.

And then. OH BABY!!
- PT21

Sorry, you have the wrong site. The PMSNBC site is 2 URLs down. This forum talks hockey, which is aploitical thank goodness. We have enough to argue about already.

Next year, Tortorella is a lame-duck coach and 67 years old. The Flyers have to make a decison BEFORE then if they are going to extend his contract or find a successor HC (likely with Tortorella being in a different role in the organization). Tortorella has said that he stayed on one season too long in Columbus, and coaching a lame duck season was a mistake in hindsight. From an org standpoint, he should have replaced with one year left on the contract.

I think it would be the same situation here if it were to play out that way. I think there's a good chance the Sullivan is out in Pittsburgh after next season: Cup window is closed, Pens have missed playoffs in b2b seasons, and it could very well be three in a row. Remember that Sullivan is Tortorella's protege and buddy but 10 years younger.

It'd be a doable sell. i'm not the biggest Sullivan fan but I could see the line of thinking and I think Michkov would thrive.
- bmeltzer

Sullivan certainly knows how to coach future stars.

Personally, this is pure speculation of which I have no proof of and may be a bit on the conspiracy side of things. I think that Tortorella didn't want to name a captain and resisted most of the season. He finally relented to pressure to name a captain and then in protest. Shortly after naming a captain, decided to scratch the newly named captain. To reassert his control
- MJL

Well regardless of torts influence on the decision to name captain whether he was resistant or not there is no conspiracy in the fact it was torts decision to bench him. And his alone. So no matter what went done he is solely responsible for that. And like it or not you simply do not arbitrarily sit your captain in hockey. Especially the nhl. Right or wrong it’s just a no-no. But for what it’s worth I don’t think you’re wrong. I too think torts probably was resistant because of the timing. I think honestly it came from above. poop maybe even from above db/jones as a marketing ploy. Hey we can drive revenue naming coots captain. Jersey sales. Buzz around team.

That is why this off-season does not make sense. There has got to be another move happening, there has to be.
- jd250

I’ll save you the suspense and tell you the moves ….

Tk extension
Massive marketing tragedy pumping a new new era of orange centered around mm and tk.

What helps this is a somewhat competent team with vet layden team to do exactly what torts wants on ice. Block shots. Collapse. Don’t give up easy goals. Just make it until tk and mm next shift and watch the suckers jump out of their seats with excitement.


Results don’t matter
Just the illusion better days ahead.

They have stepped up their game. Instead of season to season worry about marketing they can make this last at least 2-3 years

Well done