Eklund: Flyers Fan Blog: An Open-Minded Look at Tortorella’s Tenure By Szandor

The team’s “star” players would play 25 min a game and would make terrible boneheaded plays, but the lower-level players would be limited to 2 min for the exact same mistakes.

Which star players? Hayes was not only punished by Torts, but unfairly so.

The first thing Tortorella did was establish accountability. It didn’t matter if it was the best player or the worst player, if they consistently made the same mistakes, they watched from the press box for a game or two.

Wrong. Tortorella had his favorites, just the same as other coaches. Where was the accountability for Scott Laughton or Nick Seeler? On the last game of the season last year with the playoffs on the line genius Tortorella played Ryan Poehling like a first line player. LOL.

There were cliques and several cancerous attitudes in the room.

Like who? Again you are buying into the narrative that Kevin Hayes was the devil and there were cliques in the room. Keep drinking the kool-aid.

On the ice, when the Flyers play well, they are cohesive group. All five players attacking and defending as a unit. When that falls apart, we see what’s been going on the last few weeks.

Tortorella taught the team to play turtle hockey, focusing on blocking shots and collapsing around the low zone/net. He even admits he has no clue how to coach offense in today's game. They won games because they played at a playoff intensity level for the entire season in fear of being benched. Two years in a row that has resulted in a complete collapse.

Overall, I think Tortorella was what the team desperately needed at the time of his hiring. I think he left a mark on several players and the team as a whole that will benefit whoever is the next coach.

Tortorella was never at any point a good coach for this team.

Hindsight being what it is, I’m sure he’ll look back and make the necessary adjustments if he decides to coach again.

LOL. I don't think so. It's been 20 years since he won a cup and he hasn't had much success since. He isn't changing.

Which star players? Hayes was not only punished by Torts, but unfairly so.




Wrong. Tortorella had his favorites, just the same as other coaches. Where was the accountability for Scott Laughton or Nick Seeler? On the last game of the season last year with the playoffs on the line genius Tortorella played Ryan Poehling like a first line player. LOL.





Like who? Again you are buying into the narrative that Kevin Hayes was the devil and there were cliques in the room. Keep drinking the kool-aid.



Tortorella taught the team to play turtle hockey, focusing on blocking shots and collapsing around the low zone/net. He even admits he has no clue how to coach offense in today's game. They won games because they played at a playoff intensity level for the entire season in fear of being benched. Two years in a row that has resulted in a complete collapse.



Tortorella was never at any point a good coach for this team.



LOL. I don't think so. It's been 20 years since he won a cup and he hasn't had much success since. He isn't changing.
- StepfordSam

100%

Am I the only fool watching this game on this beautiful day?

Am I the only fool watching this game on this beautiful day?
- Dkos

Yes, haven’t watched a game all year.

Really disconnected from this team following last years draft and the stupidity of passing on Buium who is once again having a fantastic year for Denver.

I had recently started feeling hopeful with the moves at the deadline and as the losing streak inched them closer to the 3rd pick.

But as always this bumbling organization can’t take the long view and constantly makes impulsive moves that are detrimental. This team was floundering with Torts and was in prime position to get the 3rd pick only for them to fire him over a “verbal confrontation.” Why now? 9 games left and then you can fire him. Finish 2-7 get the 3rd pick and send Torts on his way. It’s a win/win for everyone. Nope, gotta fire him to save some imaginary face. Now, we’re seeing they’re getting the typical “fire coach bump.” Big offensive outburst against MTL. In their final 8 now, I’m guessing they go 4-4 or 5-3 and not only play themselves out of the 3rd pick but likely out of a top 5 pick. *sigh*

Am I the only fool watching this game on this beautiful day?
- Dkos

Well guess the dream of Buffalo passing us is dead

Well guess the dream of Buffalo passing us is dead
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

So I guess the PP was Torts' fault all along....

Well guess the dream of Buffalo passing us is dead
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

At this point they’re picking 7 or 8. So they’ll end up with 1 of Desnoyers, McQueen, or O’Brien. Then again they’ll probably go off the board again and pick some guy they can get with 1 of their late firsts instead.

Yes, haven’t watched a game all year.

Really disconnected from this team following last years draft and the stupidity of passing on Buium who is once again having a fantastic year for Denver.

I had recently started feeling hopeful with the moves at the deadline and as the losing streak inched them closer to the 3rd pick.

But as always this bumbling organization can’t take the long view and constantly makes impulsive moves that are detrimental. This team was floundering with Torts and was in prime position to get the 3rd pick only for them to fire him over a “verbal confrontation.” Why now? 9 games left and then you can fire him. Finish 2-7 get the 3rd pick and send Torts on his way. It’s a win/win for everyone. Nope, gotta fire him to save some imaginary face. Now, we’re seeing they’re getting the typical “fire coach bump.” Big offensive outburst against MTL. In their final 8 now, I’m guessing they go 4-4 or 5-3 and not only play themselves out of the 3rd pick but likely out of a top 5 pick. *sigh*
- Schmojo

Pretty much was my initial reaction too.

End of season heater right on schedule

Well guess the dream of Buffalo passing us is dead
- xShoot4WarAmpsx

Buffalo does have 3 games in hand though and we play them in Buffalo for the last game of season.all hope is not lost.

We need Boston and Pittsburgh to winning.

If there was a verbal confrontation, embrace it from above. Do nothing. Silently exult. It's 10 more games. Let dysfunction reign. Have the bottom fall out. Lose everything. Then, let Torts go.

They are bad even in being bad.

If there was a verbal confrontation, embrace it from above. Do nothing. Silently exult. It's 10 more games. Let dysfunction reign. Have the bottom fall out. Lose everything. Then, let Torts go.

They are bad even in being bad.
- PT21

Yep

Yep
- Stayin alive

Hey ek and your poopty mods do I get a ban for that comment? You are a (frank)ing tool to ban ANYONE with this poop site loser. This will likely be my last post because (frank) this wussy ass banning (frank)head. It’s been real. I’ve been on this site for well over a decade. Almost 2in fact and most posters are pretty cool fans. I wish all well. To bill meltzer/mjl you have become a pansy ass wussy with you soft skin sellout to the flyers and you are now like the rest of them. Enjoy the next decade of this losing franchise you deserve it. To ek it was a good run. Shut this poop site down. It is dead.

Hey ek and your poopty mods do I get a ban for that comment? You are a (frank)ing tool to ban ANYONE with this poop site loser. This will likely be my last post because (frank) this wussy ass banning (frank)head. It’s been real. I’ve been on this site for well over a decade. Almost 2in fact and most posters are pretty cool fans. I wish all well. To bill meltzer/mjl you have become a pansy ass wussy with you soft skin sellout to the flyers and you are now like the rest of them. Enjoy the next decade of this losing franchise you deserve it. To ek it was a good run. Shut this poop site down. It is dead.
- Stayin alive

Now at least I get a ban that I deserved for coc

Where the (frank) is everyone? Banned?

Had a feeling Torts was holding back the offensive game of Michkov. Not sure Cooper is keeping count how many point shots Kurcherov is blocking. However, Torts also holding back Rocky and the PP is very much a surprise. Maybe Rocky fails upward like Lappy and becomes the HC of LV next season.

Hey ek and your poopty mods do I get a ban for that comment? You are a (frank)ing tool to ban ANYONE with this poop site loser. This will likely be my last post because (frank) this wussy ass banning (frank)head. It’s been real. I’ve been on this site for well over a decade. Almost 2in fact and most posters are pretty cool fans. I wish all well. To bill meltzer/mjl you have become a pansy ass wussy with you soft skin sellout to the flyers and you are now like the rest of them. Enjoy the next decade of this losing franchise you deserve it. To ek it was a good run. Shut this poop site down. It is dead.
- Stayin alive

Haha always love your rants but Bill works for the Flyers and has to make a living. Yes, he made excuses for Frosty and others, but he also was critical when he had to be. We have no idea what his contract is but I assume like most jobs, you can't outright bash your employer especially in print to the public. As for this blog, it's a shame that so many are banned. This used to get so much traffic so not sure why they would want to ban the regular posters. I even miss MJL and his antics (sometimes), as it was always good entertainment.

https://x.com/broadstbrai...tatus/1905867501122023588

I think a certain poster (who has gone missing) will need a lot of ointment to get over the butt hurt this will cause him.

Haha always love your rants but Bill works for the Flyers and has to make a living. Yes, he made excuses for Frosty and others, but he also was critical when he had to be. We have no idea what his contract is but I assume like most jobs, you can't outright bash your employer especially in print to the public. As for this blog, it's a shame that so many are banned. This used to get so much traffic so not sure why they would want to ban the regular posters. I even miss MJL and his antics (sometimes), as it was always good entertainment.
- Don Nachbaur

My problem with bill is he USED to express his opinion based on what he THOUGHT. Over the last couple years that became less and less which fine as we all saw he became a puppet of the team which always we all saw and accepted because it’s understandable. What the issue is when he hands out bans out of spite for calling him out because he woke up on wrong side of bed or his wussy was bleeding. He gave me a 6year ban because he commented about a rumor on x saying it was just a teenager and not to be believed. And when that teenager was right and I joked that a teenager has more sources than a team employee he handed out 6 year ban. Why? There’s no coc rule broken with that. He was just a spiteful little female dog. And I can’t have respect for that. He’s not a poster on here. I mean have some professionalism

Matvei Michkov now has 4g,1a in 2 games played without John Tortorella as Head Coach. He could become the first Flyer to win the Calder Trophy #Flyers

There was an earlier rumor that the Flyers would have interest in acquiring Thatcher Demko from VAN. This move makes a lot of sense for both teams. For the Canucks, they have about 14 million in cap space in the summer. I have to assume they real want to re sign Boeser and Suter. Demko will be in the last year of his contract with a cap hit of $5 million. The team just extended Lankinen with a cap hit of $4.5 million. For the Flyers, Demko from a production standpoint will be easily be the best goaltender in the organization. He was injured this year, which is a concern, but 1 year left to see if he is healthy is not a bad risk. He just turned 29 with a career save % .911. I just don't see Briere bringing back the 3 stooges in goal next season and see what happens. Demko if he is healthy is just far superior. My guess on compensation will probably be draft picks. I doubt VAN wants to take back salary. My assumption the highest pick will probably be one of the lower 2nd round picks this draft.

Back in the playoff mix babaaay. Back from my ban babaaayyy

Matvei Michkov now has 4g,1a in 2 games played without John Tortorella as Head Coach. He could become the first Flyer to win the Calder Trophy #Flyers
- Dave21Brown

And it’s clear to see why some( myself included) did not want mm around team until the TORTurer was gone. It’s clear by the way he’s playing just how much he was being held back by tort whether on purpose or not. What we see is not mm learning or being taught how to play the proper way but being stifened. This is why you don’t let a torts be your coach. They wasted essentially 2 prime years of developement on the young players that may possibly fit a timeline of mm era.