The Fan Blog : Ek on the Flyers.. Is Tortorella Confusing Michkov? Is that dangerous?

Sam got his game back against an inept offensive team. That is huge. Sam has much to prove. Looks like nothing but an average backup so far in his career.

Best coaching job of his career? Wow. What has he done exactly? Flyers have been a bad team since he took over.

Cates has only played for one head coach (exuding his end of year stint). Torts. So that’s an interesting comment to make.

When do you think the Flyers will extend JT? Speaking on f extensions, can easily see the Flyers locking up Cates in the next 2 weeks.

Tortorella is a POS.

Chosen by an archaic, and incestous country club - that’s more concerned with keeping the “Flyers the Flyers”, instead of modern day success.

Tortorella is a POS.

Chosen by an archaic, and incestous country club - that’s more concerned with keeping the “Flyers the Flyers”, instead of modern day success.
- flyer_nutter

Wow. Ok. We will agree to disagree.

I don’t think they extend Torts in season…. Cates…maybe. But he might wait giving his new found success..

https://x.com/TDA7724/status/1873464098471780481

love the nice little dig. I dont see Cutter hating on the flyers at all.

Sam got his game back against an inept offensive team. That is huge. Sam has much to prove. Looks like nothing but an average backup so far in his career.

Best coaching job of his career? Wow. What has he done exactly? Flyers have been a bad team since he took over.

Cates has only played for one head coach (exuding his end of year stint). Torts. So that’s an interesting comment to make.

When do you think the Flyers will extend JT? Speaking on f extensions, can easily see the Flyers locking up Cates in the next 2 weeks.
- furio16

Under any other coach would Cates have become a legit top 9?

I don’t think they extend Torts in season…. Cates…maybe. But he might wait giving his new found success..
- Eklund

You think he will get extended? He has said he won't do what he did in Columbus and be a lame duck coach.

Under any other coach would Cates have become a legit top 9?
- Eklund

Yes, on bottom feeding teams. As well as some playoff teams.

So this hot streak has him as a "legit" top 9. Was he a legit top nine 3 weeks ago?

Is Tortorella handling Michkov the right way?

No. Torts should be teaching and then sending him right back out there. Instead he is using the only weapon he knows, which is to bench him. Torts is not a good developmental coach and in fact the worst coach this franchise could possibly have. He is taking an untalented team and getting them to over achieve, but in over achieving, they cant get actual talent without overpaying in free agency. SO here we are living in purgatory, not good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get elite talent in the draft. Three late round firsts isn't going to cut it. That will just get you 3 third liners. And nobody is trading top 5 picks for any reason.

Is what John is trying to teach getting through to him with all the language barriers and youthfulness, the kid has?Nobody knows what Torts is trying to teach him because he had admitted time and time again he knows nothing about offense. He should be marching that kid out there over and over, not benching him because he didnt block a shot or missed a coverage.

Is Matvei in a slump or fading away?Its a slump, he will be here much longer than Torts. Michkov has dealt with much worse things than having a dinosaur trying to get him to play like Jon Sim.

Is Tortorella handling Michkov the right way?

No. Torts should be teaching and then sending him right back out there. Instead he is using the only weapon he knows, which is to bench him. Torts is not a good developmental coach and in fact the worst coach this franchise could possibly have. He is taking an untalented team and getting them to over achieve, but in over achieving, they cant get actual talent without overpaying in free agency. SO here we are living in purgatory, not good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get elite talent in the draft. Three late round firsts isn't going to cut it. That will just get you 3 third liners. And nobody is trading top 5 picks for any reason.

Is what John is trying to teach getting through to him with all the language barriers and youthfulness, the kid has?Nobody knows what Torts is trying to teach him because he had admitted time and time again he knows nothing about offense. He should be marching that kid out there over and over, not benching him because he didnt block a shot or missed a coverage.

Is Matvei in a slump or fading away?Its a slump, he will be here much longer than Torts. Michkov has dealt with much worse things than having a dinosaur trying to get him to play like Jon Sim.
- MBFlyerfan

The fact that the other 2 are sitting back and allowing this really says a lot.

If he is scratched tonight shows they are all on the same wrong page.

Is Tortorella handling Michkov the right way?

No. Torts should be teaching and then sending him right back out there. Instead he is using the only weapon he knows, which is to bench him. Torts is not a good developmental coach and in fact the worst coach this franchise could possibly have. He is taking an untalented team and getting them to over achieve, but in over achieving, they cant get actual talent without overpaying in free agency. SO here we are living in purgatory, not good enough to make the playoffs, not bad enough to get elite talent in the draft. Three late round firsts isn't going to cut it. That will just get you 3 third liners. And nobody is trading top 5 picks for any reason.

Is what John is trying to teach getting through to him with all the language barriers and youthfulness, the kid has?Nobody knows what Torts is trying to teach him because he had admitted time and time again he knows nothing about offense. He should be marching that kid out there over and over, not benching him because he didnt block a shot or missed a coverage.

Is Matvei in a slump or fading away?Its a slump, he will be here much longer than Torts. Michkov has dealt with much worse things than having a dinosaur trying to get him to play like Jon Sim.
- MBFlyerfan

Fantastic take!

Under any other coach would Cates have become a legit top 9?
- Eklund

Yes, absolutely. Tortorella has actually done disfavor to Cates. Cates is limited as a center. Despite his recent hot streak and high level puck luck. He is better suited as a winger. Where he can use his all around talent better. His strengths offensively are on the forecheck and around the net. He doesn't have the puck skills to be a top 9 center in my opinion but would make a strong 3rd line forechecking winger that can chip in offense.

As far as Michkov is concerned. Tortorella is doing what he always does. Stifle offense and offensive skill. All he knows is to cut ice time, demote in the lineup and then scratch. If he was such a good coach, which he is not, then he would coach Michkov through his struggles. He's trying to get Michkov to play a safe game. Playing not the right way but the Tortorella way. A player like Michkov needs to play aggressively, take risks and play on the edge. He looks lost now because he's trying to play a safe game and it is sapping his confidence. He is afraid to make a mistake.

Tortorella is getting all of this credit for what? A .495 winning percentage and significantly worse results than the two full time coaches before him. While setting the franchise back due to his influence on Hilferty and Jones and his dinosaur methods that are not compatible with the modern day NHL.

i have no problem with using advanced stats but they are far more reliable when looking at large sample sizes. that is the intended use with scouts and analytics teams.

using them for a single game is not reliable and shows you're not using them correctly. they are still numbers. but they don't tell an accurate story.

feel free to prove me wrong. not one NHL team is using advanced stats to make any conclusion for 1 game. not how they are used.

Michkov has been flat out bad for a while now, he’s getting his ice time cut, it is what it is. No one knows what is being taught at practice/video sessions so it’s impossible for us to know if it’s behind handled appropriately

Michkov has been flat out bad for a while now, he’s getting his ice time cut, it is what it is. No one knows what is being taught at practice/video sessions so it’s impossible for us to know if it’s behind handled appropriately
- ClaudeFather

Exactly! Gotta love the know it alls on here that somehow know what is going on behind the scenes. No one knows what the deal is with Michkov. He could have just hit a rookie wall or he could be thinking too much on the ice because of Torts, but the fact remains that NO ONE knows.

Exactly! Gotta love the know it alls on here that somehow know what is going on behind the scenes. No one knows what the deal is with Michkov. He could have just hit a rookie wall or he could be thinking too much on the ice because of Torts, but the fact remains that NO ONE knows.
- Phillywhiteout

Exactly right. No one in this organization knows anything. Clueless from top to bottom. Its good you are finally seeing it.

Exactly right. No one in this organization knows anything. Clueless from top to bottom. Its good you are finally seeing it.

- MBFlyerfan

I'm talking about none of the posters (know it alls) on here dumbass! Do you have reading comprehension issues?

Nice move by Foerster

Nice move by Foerster
- Dkos

That was a nice goal.

That was a nice goal.
- Dave21Brown

Nice to see Foerster, Brink, Cates having some success. I’d like to see Michkov back with Coots and TK.

Good shift kid.

holy crap Michkov

holy crap Michkov
- Trox88

The kid has a giant hockey brain.

does torts get any credit for lighting the fire after a rough 6 game stretch?

maybe it only works with competitive players. would make sense why frost never responded.