Photo Credit: NHL.com
The Flyers hired a former Stanley Cup winning Head Coach John Tortorella to a four year deal, worth $16 million. Some forget he won a Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning back in the 2003-04 season. Does he stick up for his pliers? Yes, he absolutely does. Does he hold his players accountable? Yes, he absolutely does. He can hold his players accountable, while sticking up for them, and it proof in the pudding was that yesterday’s press conference at practice, “That’s a problem in our league right now, our players in our league do not put enough emphasis with making sure your protecting yourself from hits like that. We have kind of turned this league into the no hit league,” John Tortorella said following practice yesterday.
Tortorella was referencing a hit that Garnet Hathaway made the night before against the New Jersey Devils, to which Hathaway was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a clean hit. It was a heavy hit, but it was clean as day for the sport of hockey. This is why coaches should be able to challenge certain penalties, much like the NBA does with fouls. A coach should be given one challenge a game, whether they are successful with it or not.
However, Tortorella is right. There are too many times in the sport of hockey where the players are penalized with clean, heavy hits. The referees on the ice have to make a split second decision on whether the hit was clean or not. This is a tall task for anybody, that’s where the lead can make improvements with challenges. It is good to see a hard nosed coach like Tortorella take his player side with this one, even in the event he may be fined for calling out the league.
Tortorella is known to be a hard-nosed coach, who commands the most from his players. He is not afraid of benching or calling out star studded players either. His main goal with doing this is building a foundation, and a lively locker room. Sticking up for players at the podium could do wonders for this team moving forward.
It’s become apparent that this team is a tight knit bunch, and Torts is spear heading this. The Flyers do not have a problem with effort, you’re sticking up for one another. This team may not be talented enough to beat stiff competition or playoff bound teams on a nightly basis, but they do fight and claw their way into games nine times out of 10, “There is still a priority to teach the young players how to win. Don’t think we are going to forget about winning,” John Tortorella said a few weeks ago. “You’re not teaching your younger players the right way on how to play, if you’re not teaching them how to win.” Teaching the youth how to win creates confidence and development, and it also teaches them how to win. Tortorella said they haven’t lost sight of the rebuild, but winning is important for the youth in terms of growth.
“You’re not teaching your younger players the right way on how to play, if you’re not teaching them how to win.” – John Tortorella
Building a new culture was important, and that is rubbing off on this team. The results are proof into pudding of such, but it’s not only building a new culture that’s important. Building a winning culture is equally as important, and the orange and black will continue to strive in a positive direction as the season wears on, “People pay money. We are the Philadelphia Flyers. We are trying to get some respect in this league. We are going to try to win,” Tortorella stated a few weeks ago.
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It was a clean hit, and Hathaway had to pay for the Refs’ mistake. The hit was before the whistle and the whistle should have been blown for icing before Hathaway could make the hit. Also, Hughes came out in the second period and played the rest of the game looking no worse for wear.
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