Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella said a lot of words but didn’t shy away from teasing that he was sick and tired of coaching a team where the games didn’t matter. After a crushing 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, he admitted, “This falls on me. I have to do a better job.” However, his candid remarks also hinted at frustration, suggesting that coaching a rebuilding team might not be the right fit for him anymore.
The Flyers, currently in a deep slump, have lost 10 of their last 11 games and sit near the bottom of the NHL standings. They sold pieces at the trade deadline and have been lousy, with glaring defensive struggles. They have surrendered 17 goals in their last three games and Torts noted that the team badly needed to improve their goaltending.
Tortorella has openly stated that inadequate netminder has likely cost them a playoff spot, but that’s clearly not the only problem in Philly. The coach himself might be among the biggest.
He said:
“This falls on me. I’m not really interested in learning how to coach in this type of season, where we’re at right now. But I have to do a better job. So this falls on me, getting the team prepared to play the proper way until we get to the end.”
Has Tortorella Worn Out His Welcome?
History shows that, as good as Tortorella can be, his effectiveness is often short-lived. He was supposed to help this Flyers team through a rebuild, but he appears to have run out of patience. Like he’s had in other cities, he’s had issues with his players — some miscommunication issues with Matvei Michkov being among the most important — and now he’s calling out a team he was supposed to be able to keep unified and working hard, despite an obvious lack or star power.
While management seems committed to reshaping the roster for future success, Tortorella was supposed to be the coach that understood this would take time. His recent comments raise questions about his willingness to endure the growing pains. That’s a problem, and essentially throwing his arms up in the air and saying he’s not interested in coaching and developing a terrible team is, and should be, grounds for the Flyers to move in another direction.
Perhaps he was trying to motivate his players. However, to say in the same breath that this falls on him removes that possibility from the conversation.
Speculation is mounting about whether Tortorella will remain behind the Flyers’ bench much longer. Perhaps he will move up into another position within the Flyers organization. If so, the Flyers may be better suited with a younger coach ready to embrace the rebuild. Alternatively, Tortorella could seek a situation where the team is poised to contend.
For now, he’s frustrated, but he’s still the coach. For how long is a question worth asking.
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