It is well known that John Tortorella is not recognized as the most patient head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). Despite the Philadelphia Flyers’ struggles this season, the pilot insisted the 2022-23 season laid the groundwork for a brighter future.
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Like the Montreal Canadiens, the Flyers took a youthful turn this year in the absence of several veterans. After a promising start, injuries have caught up with the Pennsylvania club, who are now far from a playoff spot.
“Everyone thinks this season is lost. We knew this year was going to be painful. I respect our club. We stayed in the race, we drove until the break [du match des étoiles]Said a surprisingly positive Tortorella in a post-game press conference on Tuesday night.
“Nobody likes to be left out [de la course] as we. But as an organization, with the coaches and managers, we have to look at what happened during the season. If we disregard the record, the level of our young people has developed brilliantly,” he added.
The departure of Claude Giroux and the serious injuries of Sean Couturier and Cam Atkinson, in particular, allowed Travis Konecny to establish himself as the team’s best offensive player. The right winger, who has been injured since mid-February, was also unlucky.
“The loss of TK hurt us a lot. He was really a catalyst for us and we haven’t been able to replace him since,” admitted Tortorella.
Despite playing 15 fewer games than his teammates, Konecny still leads the Flyers’ top scorer list with 27 goals and 54 points.
The picture becomes clearer
In addition to Konecny, young forwards Owen Tippett, Morgan Frost and Noah Cates have all proven themselves this season, as has defender Cam York. The only 21-year-old Tyson Foerster has also been causing a sensation for a few games in the NHL.
So the Flyers should get rid of dead wood before the next campaign. Several veterans will leave Tortorella’s ship. Rasmus Ristolainen’s appalling contract ($5 million a year until 2027) could also be bought out by new general manager Daniel Brière.
“I have a very good idea of the young players who will be the foundation of our future, but we have to surround them properly. We have to create positions. It’s not a criticism of these people that we’re going to part ways with, it’s just the way it is,” explained the head coach.
With a record of 26-32-12 for 64 points, the Flyers are ahead of only the Canadiens and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference standings.