Shaw says Flyers bench is ‘lighter’ after Tortorella firing

The Philadelphia Flyers entered a new era and the players are feeling much better after John Tortorella was fired as head coach.

The Philadelphia Flyers are entering a new era without John Tortorella behind the bench and it might be one that is filled with much more positivity and levity to any game situation.

Since the Flyers sent the veteran bench boss packing, as they fired him Thursday, they have hosted both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres, earning two decisive wins and a total of 13 goals scored between the two games. Not only are they finally scoring goals (and even some on the power play too!) the whole team appears to be playing without some sort of burden. Maybe the amount of eggshells that were in their path, have suddenly been limited to almost zero.

Of course, it might just be fortunate timing. After going through a gauntlet of games and losing a whole lot of matchups against playoff teams, they get to face a Canadiens team that is stuck in the middle with some weaknesses, and a miserable Sabres team poised to make one of the first selections at the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft this summer. Having those two opponents after firing your coach only helps the situation, but the whole team does feel more free-flowing on the ice.

Interim head coach Brad Shaw pointed out that of course the bench is much more positive and energetic when the team is scoring loads of goals and winning hockey games, but it is deeper than that.

“Scorers get energized by putting pucks in the net and being part of an offensive push like we’ve had the last couple of games. We haven’t really tried to make it any lighter, but I just think my personality is lighter than Torts and I have a lighter hand how I go about my business,” Shaw said after Saturday’s win.

“I think inherently it might be lighter on the bench. I think that’s just natural that that would be the feeling. Obviously winning is fun; I’m having fun on the bench. I’m having a blast. At the same time, you see the things that aren’t particularly good on the ice and that is just where we’re at. With seven to go — I think our job is to pump energy into that room. Help them get through these last seven games, try to build something positive, and if that helps this team in September and into the start of the year, then that’s perfect.”

Maybe every single other head coach in the hockey world has a lighter touch how they deal with certain situations and their business. But as Shaw mentions, the goal for the rest of the season is clear: Bring some positive energy into that locker room so they can enter the offseason on a good note and have them actually looking forward to being a part of the Flyers in the fall.

One player that could certainly use a whole lot of positive energy and is excelling after Tortorella was fired, is newly acquired Jakob Pelletier. Tortorella did not want to use the young winger and by saying that he was too small to be a checker, and not skilled enough to be a scorer, Tortorella essentially gave up on finding a role for him. If there wasn’t a coaching change, who knows if Pelletier would even be on the Flyers roster come training camp.

Now with a new scoring role on a progressive third line, Pelletier has a new lease on life. He earned an assist against Montreal and then scored his first goal as a Flyer as the team stomped all over the Sabres.

His new head coach thinks that the line is clicking really well and wants to see even more skill from the 24-year-old.

“I think a lot,” Shaw said, explaining how playing with two speedy forwards like Ryan Poehling and Owen Tippett is helping his game. “He was a point guy in junior, drafted in the first round, you see that when he gets into open ice with those guys. You can see where that success came.

“I have actually asked him to skate a bit more in the offensive zone. I think our whole team tends to feel like we’re checked a bit before we actually are. I think we can hold onto it and make some more plays, consequently. He’s been a guy that has taken a little bit of time to find his way here, but he’s such a positive guy on the bench. I think he’s more happy than the guy that scored the goal when the other guy scores. He’s a real breath of fresh air and he’s an energizing guy. He’s an easy guy to put on the ice right now because he is playing well.”

It’s not just Pelletier, either. While Matvei Michkov was on a scoring tear with five points in the three final games of Tortorella’s tenure, in the two games with Shaw has his head coach, he has scored four goals and five points. An even larger boost in production and he is looking like the most talented player this team has had in a very long time.

It’s incredible what some positivity can bring to a hockey team and right now, the Flyers desperately needed that or it would have been a terrible mood to end this terrible season.