If you've known me for a while, you know that I haven't always thought highly of Flyers coach John Tortorella. Hell, I even said if he was made coach of the US Olympic Hockey Team that I'd root for Canada. However, the job he did in year one with the Flyers wasn't bad. He took over an underachieving team who looked like they were sleepwalking in parts of the previous season and made them at least entertaining. This isn't an indictment of his ability to coach; he's proven in multiple places that while his influence can push a contending team over the brink into a playoff team, and has won one Stanley Cup in his fourteen seasons as a head coach. Where Torts falls short, and where I think he is a detriment to the rebuild, is in his ability to connect with and understand his players. He tries to play his cards close to his chest with regards to his thoughts on players and their position with the team, but as we saw this season with certain players, he isn&
Steve Jeltz Appreciation Society: A Philly Sports Blog