See, I think he takes ice time away from Frost (fairly quickly as long as Luchanko is her) and gives it to Luchanko, while using Farabee and Brink about as much as last year... AKA short leash for Brink and Tortorella getting down on Farabee again if he has a so-so start.
- bmeltzer

what is the plan with torts? extension? fired? moved "upstairs"?

he has said he won't do what he did in Columbus and be a lame duck coach. what does your gut tell you?

I don't know, if he takes ice time away from Frost, which I don't doubt, he's also taking it away from Tippet and Foerster.
- MJL

Expecting Lucahnko to be the creative offensive center on a top 6 line at 18 is nuts, so it is something I can see Torts trying. And we saw last year he's happy to dump the Captain down to the 4th line. So if the Flyers are trailing 3-0 going into the 3rd on Friday, this lineup would not surprise me one bit.

Foerster-Poehling-Konecny
Tippett-Lucahnko-Michkov
Farabee-Frost-Brink
Laughton-Couturier-Hathaway

It seemed the mets wanted them to chase pitches and that is exactly what they did
- corduroy

Same strategy employed by the Dbacks last year. Pitch around Harper and see if the rest of the lineup can beat you. Castellanos did a couple times, but they got almost no contribution out of Bohm, Marsh and Realmuto. Stott had one big hit but was otherwise silent. Schwarber also went cold after game 1. Not sure what the fix is. They need another impact bat, preferably young.

Is Michkov on the LW a concern? I thought in Russia he was always a RW, and kind of played like Jagr.
- Feanor

I wish they'd just stick him at RW and leave him alone. Try Konecny at LW or something. I guess we'll see how it plays out.

what is the plan with torts? extension? fired? moved "upstairs"?

he has said he won't do what he did in Columbus and be a lame duck coach. what does your gut tell you?
- hello it's me 2050

Already said it: My gut is Tortorella "retires" as head coach after the season, moves into a front office advisory role and his "protege"/best buddy Sully (very likely out in Pittsburgh after/during 2024-25) becomes the next HC. Not based on anything someone in HO has told me. But a gut feeling.

I wonder if they’ll consider expediting a reset by trading a Crosby or malkin. That’d be the right play. I do take joy in the fact that Dubas certainly hasn’t been the saviour. He’s under the same restrictions hextall was and he’s had no better results this far.
- Hextall271

Crosby just didn't sign a new contract just to be traded.

Malkin and Crosby both have NMCs

Predictions are for fun and in my opinion, aren't something that should be held against someone. Too many variables that come up during a season to predict. For example, the Devils missing the playoffs last season.
Just curious, why do you think the Flyers are better than the Caps?
- MJL

Yes, totally for fun.

I like what the Caps did this year to retool, signing Roy and acquiring Magiapane. I'm not a fan of Chychrun but he'll put up some decent numbers from the backend IF he stays healthy. But I am definately not a PLD fan, and I think the 2nd half of last season from Ovechkin was his last breath; I don't think he breaks the record this year. So overall when I look at the Caps I like some of their moves but I still think they lack depth and Ovechkin at 39 years old will run out of gas. I think the Flyers will be OK in nets, decent on defense and have more depth at forward. Plus with an improved PP they will be a 90+ point team this year.

Already said it: My gut is Tortorella "retires" as head coach after the season, moves into a front office advisory role and his "protege"/best buddy Sully (very likely out in Pittsburgh after/during 2024-25) becomes the next HC. Not based on anything someone in HO has told me. But a gut feeling.
- bmeltzer

I like your gut on this one.

I wish they'd just stick him at RW and leave him alone. Try Konecny at LW or something. I guess we'll see how it plays out.
- TobyFlenderson

Michkov has already shown he can play either wing.

Crosby just didn't sign a new contract just to be traded.

Malkin and Crosby both have NMCs
- WhiskeyMan

While he definitely did the Pens a favor with his new deal, I hate the false narrative that Crosby always took less money to be a good guy. His first contract had a huge price tag for the time, and it was only for 5 years so he was a UFA at the end of it.

If the cap is $93m in 25-26 and Bedard signed at the same cap percentage that Crosby did for his first contract, Bedard would be on 5 x $16,085,487.

Michkov has already shown he can play either wing.
- jd250

He can play either side, but which is the best side for him as a teenager playing his first NHL games. Tippett and Foerster also play both sides.

Infuriating. They were beaten the same way as last season. I don't know how but that team needs to be broken up.
- MJL

It could be worse, you could be watching the Red Sox. I swear the past few years everytime I tune in I have no idea who any of their players are. The Sox have turned into an triple A team, really sad. There is a NHL tie to all this, the Fenway group owns several franchises including the Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins, and they are just not spending money.

Must be tough following a sports team that has no chance to win Championships with their current approach to roster building. Especially if they only won four titles in the last 20 years.

Must be tough following a sports team that has no chance to win Championships with their current approach to roster building. Especially if they only won four titles in the last 20 years.
- Feanor

Boston folks are not allowed to complain about not winning until at least 2075 at this point.

Must be tough following a sports team that has no chance to win Championships with their current approach to roster building. Especially if they only won four titles in the last 20 years.
- Feanor

Yup, we had an unprecedented run in Boston over the past two decades, but that era is definitely over, at least for the Sox and Pats. The Bruins are what they always are, a good regular season team and a team that can win a playoff series or two, and the Celts are surely riding high right now.

See, I think he takes ice time away from Frost (fairly quickly as long as Luchanko is her) and gives it to Luchanko, while using Farabee and Brink about as much as last year... AKA short leash for Brink and Tortorella getting down on Farabee again if he has a so-so start.
- bmeltzer

He was totally non existent offensively in the pre season. I don’t see him flipping those centers. It’s a classic Torts hard on for a player though for sure so you never know

I wish they'd just stick him at RW and leave him alone. Try Konecny at LW or something. I guess we'll see how it plays out.
- TobyFlenderson

If you watched the preseason, the majority of his points came from the RW side of the ice but why would the flyers logically think about that.

Already said it: My gut is Tortorella "retires" as head coach after the season, moves into a front office advisory role and his "protege"/best buddy Sully (very likely out in Pittsburgh after/during 2024-25) becomes the next HC. Not based on anything someone in HO has told me. But a gut feeling.
- bmeltzer

Sullivan isn’t the answer either.

Michkov has already shown he can play either wing.
- jd250

He's played a handful of pre season games.

He's played a handful of pre season games.
- MJL

But he's Michkov, 19 year fenom, he can do anything! Michkov is the Risto of our forward group!

This is priceless!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jhmJm0nREg

But he's Michkov, 19 year fenom, he can do anything! Michkov is the Risto of our forward group!
- jd250

Are you kidding? Michkov can play D with Risto. They'd be legendary!

Sullivan isn’t the answer either.
- furio16

Not saying he is the solution. Saying my gut feeling is he succeeds Tortorella here.

But he's Michkov, 19 year fenom, he can do anything! Michkov is the Risto of our forward group!
- jd250

I believe that Michkov is going to be a star player in this league. However, my perspective is going to be conservative in terms of expectations early.

Not saying he is the solution. Saying my gut feeling is he succeeds Tortorella here.
- bmeltzer

Completely understood. Will not be shocked in the least of that comes to fruition.

Just shows how much power he will end up having and if I was Briere I wouldn’t trust him.

Does any coach in the league have as much say as this head coach?