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When speaking about head coach John Tortorella of the Philadelphia Flyers, opinions are majorly skewed in each optimistic and detrimental instructions. Some have him within the dialog for the Jack Adams Award for his rebuilding membership holding a playoff spot with simply six video games left within the season, whereas others may think about his harsh tactics at instances to be a bit extreme.
In actuality, Tortorella is a little bit of each. He is liable for having the Flyers in a place to make the playoffs in 2023-24 if they’ll maintain on over the ultimate stretch, but in addition a huge purpose why his staff has a minuscule one-point lead for mentioned playoff spot and is at risk of shedding it. He is exclusive in that his good qualities are distinctive, whereas his dangerous qualities might find yourself being what places an finish to the Flyers’ implausible run. The season will depend on him exhibiting extra of the previous.
The Best of Tortorella
There’s a purpose why Tortorella is within the Jack Adams dialog, in any case. A Flyers staff that was anticipated to complete lifeless final of their division is now competing for a playoff spot. It’s not likely attainable for a “bad” coach to have his staff in that type of place. His brilliance has helped his staff flourish.
The Reclamation Projects
The reclamation initiatives for the Orange and Black have been among the finest issues to watch about this season. Several gamers have gone from being undervalued to actually appreciated in a flash. While not solely Tortorella is liable for that, they’ve flourished underneath him for a purpose.
Rasmus Ristolainen was seen as one of many extra promising younger defenders within the league, however the analytics motion within the current previous shut that down. For a very long time, he was as removed from an analytical darling as attainable. That was the case when he was with the Buffalo Sabres up till 2020-21, and that didn’t change with the Flyers early on. And then this season occurred.
Ristolainen hasn’t taken on a loopy position this season with simply 16:41 of common ice time and frequent absences as a consequence of damage, however he has been terrific when on the ice. His protection has been arguably one of the best of his profession, and he has been much less inclined to creating errors. That form of transformation doesn’t occur in a single day — it begins with teaching. While affiliate coach Brad Shaw works extra intently with defensemen, it’s finally Tortorella’s job to get outcomes on the ice, and he has executed so with Ristolainen. His enhancements haven’t been otherworldly, however sufficient to make him a high quality defender on a playoff staff.
Nick Seeler, a 30-year-old defensive defenseman, went from contemplating retirement to incomes a contract extension with the Flyers value over $10 million in simply a few seasons. The shot-blocking connoisseur went from a seventh defender to a important piece of the Flyers’ protection when it didn’t appear to be his play might attain one other stage contemplating his age.
After taking a season away from hockey in 2020-21, Seeler signed a league-minimum cope with the Flyers in 2021-22. He served as a spark for the staff together with his preventing capability and was a fairly stable participant within the lineup. He earned a short-term extension as a end result. He solely obtained higher when Tortorella was employed by the Flyers for 2022-23.
Seeler stepped into an excellent greater position on the staff and was among the finest depth defensemen within the league. He has taken that to new heights this season, enjoying on the second pair fairly steadily in 2023-24. That type of development at that age actually doesn’t occur within the NHL, so it reveals among the finest qualities of the Flyers’ coach.
Sean Walker, although traded at the deadline, was nonetheless arguably the largest reclamation challenge of all of them this season. Making $2.65 million towards the wage cap, the Los Angeles Kings traded him to Philadelphia final offseason solely to shed his wage. He went on to return the Flyers a first-round choose on the deadline, so one thing clearly flipped.
Walker was possibly the Flyers’ finest defenseman that they had when he was on the staff. Instead of being a depth choice, he served as a essential second-pairing participant who might step up within the impartial zone, pinch offensively, and play stable defensively, too. He was the complete package deal, and that was one thing Tortorella and the remainder of his teaching employees unlocked. At 29 years of age, the defender reached his prime seemingly out of nowhere.
Stubborn for Breakouts
Tortorella is likely to be essentially the most cussed coach in your entire NHL. However, it’s in a great way as a rule. He desires solely one of the best for his gamers, so when he is aware of he can get that, he’ll cease at nothing to take action.
A terrific instance of this stubbornness has been with 22-year-old rookie Tyson Foerster. Despite not having the best rookie camp or preseason, he was performed in top-six minutes nearly immediately for the Orange and Black in a extremely aggressive lineup for wingers.
For anybody who is aware of Foerster’s sport, it was clear what Tortorella noticed and needed out of him — he’s a talented player and shooter. Even although Tortorella is commonly seen as a coach who solely provides gamers alternatives when they’re really earned, he put his teenager on the recent seat to see what he might do.
Right away, Foerster turned a nice defensive participant for him however didn’t fairly get the objectives. Through 48 contests, he had simply seven of them even together with his high-end minutes. Tortorella by no means gave up on him. Because of that, he now has 13 objectives in his final 23 video games, which might be a 46-goal tempo over a full season. Stubbornness paid off in the long run.
Another instance of this has been winger Owen Tippett. He has had his ups and downs this season, however Tortorella hasn’t stopped utilizing him closely. There have been large scoring droughts for him this season, and he doesn’t have the “elite defensively” excuse that Foerster did. Still, Tortorella has stored believing in him.
In the tip, this insistence on enjoying time has led to Tippett placing up some good numbers. Since Jan. 1, he has had 15 objectives and 12 assists for 27 factors in 36 contests, on tempo for 62 factors over an 82-game season. In that point, his defensive numbers have improved massively and he has been among the finest gamers on the staff. He has Tortorella to thank for that.
Comebacks Are Always Possible
More than probably any coach within the NHL, Tortorella likes to get his gamers again in video games that they don’t have any enterprise being in. It has led to some loopy contests all through this season. Under him, a comeback isn’t out of the query regardless of how inconceivable it may appear.
Against the Detroit Red Wings late in December, the Flyers had one of many worst efforts that they had in a very very long time. Trailing 5-1 after the primary interval alone, it might have been a blowout of epic proportions. Instead, Tortorella rallied his troops to take a 6-5 lead however finally misplaced 7-6 in a shootout.
For a staff that scored six objectives mixed of their final three video games (two of which they gained), suggesting the Flyers would stand up to 6 after trailing by 4 objectives after one would have been absurd. Tortorella and his membership nonetheless pulled off the extremely unbelievable anyway.
This isn’t an remoted incident, both. The Flyers love making flawed efforts shut in the long run. On March 26 with a big two factors on the road, Tortorella’s staff went backwards and forwards with the New York Rangers on the street, turning a 3-2 deficit, a 4-3 deficit, and a 5-4 deficit all into ties within the third interval to power additional time and salvage a level.
No matter how little the Flyers may deserve or earn a comeback, they have an inclination to seek out a approach to make issues shut with Tortorella. When it occurs as typically because it does, it’s not a coincidence — it is vitally possible due to him, at the least partially. He has instilled a never-say-die tradition, and it has stored his staff within the playoff hunt.
The Worst of Tortorella
At his worst, although, Tortorella generally doesn’t make one of the best choices. Specifically, his lineup selections are typically poor for essentially the most half. They go a lot deeper than the numbers, certain, however these numbers say the Flyers most likely ought to have a higher report. Considering they might both make or miss the playoffs primarily based on a single level, these errors matter.
Looking at the latest instance of a few of his errors, we discover beginning goaltender Sam Ersson. In the Flyers’ final 30 video games, he has began 25 of them. For reference as to how huge of a quantity that basically is, Brian Elliott led the Orange and Black in begins of their 56-game season in 2020-21 with 26. Ersson is beginning at almost double the speed of the staff’s most frequent starter simply a few seasons in the past. That type of workload can actually catch as much as a goalie.
Recently, Ersson’s regression has been vital and noticeable. And it’s not like that being the case wasn’t apparent, both. It was obvious a month in the past that if he continued to start out video games on the charge at which he was, regression was inevitable. It has now hit, with him sitting at a .864 save proportion (SV%) and a 3.58 goals-against common (GAA) in 13 contests since March 1.
The Flyers by no means precisely had a good backup to play as an alternative of Ersson, however by not enjoying the backups and giving Ersson some days off, they went from having him and solely him performing nicely in aim to utterly no one. Goaltending is a huge purpose why they’re on a five-game shedding streak.
Russian netminder Ivan Fedotov has served as a saving grace for the Flyers, coming to the NHL to play for the Orange and Black after spending almost a decade within the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), however the injury has already been executed. Ersson has gone from stealing video games to struggling to make non-routine saves. The largest purpose for that’s just because he’s worn out.
The similar actual factor occurred within the American Hockey League (AHL) with him in 2022-23, placing up a .875 SV% within the postseason after a stable begin to the common season. The Flyers’ teaching employees didn’t study from historical past, and that largely falls on Tortorella.
Underperforming Forwards & Defensemen Playing Too Much
That is simply scratching the floor, although. One of the largest lineup points with Tortorella is that, for as a lot as he performs some athletes for their very own good, he additionally does it to their detriment.
Cam Atkinson has been a nice instance of this. Without getting too in-depth about his struggles, his on-ice outcomes have been poor, he has a lowly 7.6 % capturing proportion, and he simply isn’t offering a spark like he used to when he was in his prime. Regardless of all of this, he’s averaging second-line ice time this season.
When a staff wants each aim and level they’ll get to make the postseason, enjoying a veteran who has been a legal responsibility at each ends of the ice is solely inexcusable. Likely struggling the repercussions from his season-long damage in 2022-23, his points are maximized when he performs too many minutes, and that has been his scenario for a lot of the season.
Atkinson isn’t the one participant on this boat, both. Depth gamers should not excused. Nicolas Deslauriers, whereas a commendable enforcer who will drop the gloves with anybody, doesn’t give the Flyers one of the best likelihood to win on any given night time.
Deslauriers is nice to have within the lineup as soon as in a whereas to offer a new sense of power, however he has performed for 60 video games. He hasn’t gotten a lot ice time, however it has been sufficient to have detrimental results. Fellow robust man Garnet Hathaway began this season by his facet for just about each minute he performed. With an anticipated objectives proportion (xGF%) of 47.9 collectively, they struggled as a duo. When Hathaway was separated, everything changed all of a sudden — he turned a helpful third-line participant with a 59.5 xGF%.
Players like Scott Laughton and Ryan Poehling, who additionally obtained considerably frequent fourth-line ice time with Deslauriers, have seen a enhance of their xGF% when other than him. It might need a little bit to do with what the fourth line is requested to do by the teaching employees that has harm their on-ice stats (hunt for hits, end checks, and many others.), however the reality of the matter is that Deslauriers is a internet detrimental for the Orange and Black when he’s out on the ice for prolonged intervals. That’s not good for a fringe playoff staff needing to take advantage of each final level out of their schedule that they’ll.
Finally, a participant like Erik Johnson is a current instance of somebody who has performed an excessive amount of. The blueliner, acquired on the commerce deadline, simply hasn’t lived as much as expectations. Although plus/minus can are typically deceptive at instances, his minus-11 score in simply 12 video games is atrocious.
In Tortorella’s protection, Johnson was solely performed early on due to accidents to the Flyers’ protection. With two of these defenders returning for a pivotal sport towards the New York Islanders on April 1, Adam Ginning and Ronnie Attard, two defensemen who had outperformed him by way of xGF% and total numbers, have been sat whereas he stayed in. He arguably had his worst sport as a Flyer within the staff’s 4-3 additional time loss.
Johnson being out of the lineup may not have gained the Flyers the sport, however he was additionally a minus-2 and had something however a good outing. When factors imply all the things, these choices can’t hold taking place. Tortorella is likely to be a little bit biased and need to play a veteran versus two youthful defenders with out a lot NHL expertise, however it was one of many causes his staff misplaced. A majority of those questionable lineup choices have, at the least considerably, contributed to losses at one level or one other.
Solid Shooters Not Being Used Properly
For a Flyers staff that doesn’t score too many goals, it most likely isn’t a good concept to play among the staff’s finest shooters in restricted minutes or in a non-shooting position. That may not have a noticeable influence over the course of simply a few video games, however it could over a full season. It’s too late to show again on it now, so let’s take a take a look at how his selections have fared.
It may appear minor, however Bobby Brink’s lack of ice time this season has been considerably unwarranted. With simply 711 minutes of whole ice time this season (twelfth amongst forwards), it’s fairly spectacular that the 22-year-old rookie continues to be tied for ninth on the staff in objectives (10) and tied for twelfth in whole factors (22).
He has at all times had a good shoot, and he has put that into motion with a 13.9 capturing proportion, which is first amongst lively roster gamers on the Flyers. That whole being so excessive for him is considerably luck-based, however he’s additionally simply a good shooter. He hasn’t gotten enjoying time regardless of that.
When Brink has gotten ice time, it has extra typically been on the third or fourth line than the primary and even simply the second. Being on the ice with gamers like Tippett, Morgan Frost, Travis Konecny, and extra could possibly be helpful to the staff with these sorts of gamers having the ability to create area for him to shoot. They have the expertise to make defenders respect them. Instead, he has been caught in a extra defensive position with a participant like Deslauriers on the fourth line as of late. That’s losing Brink’s potential.
The purpose why the Flyers are in a rebuild within the first place is as a result of they don’t have a lot of elite expertise. That form of expertise additionally refers to shooters. When one of the best shooters on the staff are few and much between, stapling them to the fourth line and the bench to “teach them a lesson” will get stale when it’s executed for a month straight.
Related: Flyers Have to Give Bobby Brink a Serious Opportunity
Foerster is just not fairly an instance like Brink, however the two additionally relate by way of their scenario. Foerster is likely to be one of the best pure shooter that the Flyers have on their staff — when he’s open, he scores with extra effectivity than anybody else on the staff. The main drawback early within the season? He by no means obtained open.
Foerster was too targeted on successful puck battles on offense and placing a main deal with protection to attain objectives. As talked about earlier than, his scoring immediately flipped from underwhelming to overwhelming. For somebody as younger as he’s, his 46-goal tempo in his final 23 contests is elite stuff, however it additionally indicators a change in what has been requested of him.
There isn’t something unsuitable with Tortorella making an attempt to see if Foerster can deal with enjoying an all-around sport, however that got here with a price. Again, the Flyers battle to attain objectives — protection has been their forte. Even although he’s capturing 13.1 % on the season with a median ice time of 17:13, he’s simply seventh on the staff in photographs. For a staff that hasn’t been capable of rating objectives constantly, he might have helped with that if he was given the inexperienced mild. That was not a private choice of his, however of the teaching employees.
Overall, Tortorella continues to be a nice coach no matter his flaws. He has the Flyers in a playoff spot now, however a few of his poor choices of late might find yourself being the dagger of their season. Having executed a lot good but in addition some dangerous this season, he’s the embodiment of a double-edged sword.
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