Photo Credit: Derik Hamilton / AP
E128 – A Different Kind Of Pre-Season (Ft. Steve Kournianos)
John Tortorella has been just as advertise. And yet, a lot of the decisions he has made with the athletes on the Philadelphia Flyers, are leaving many scratching their heads, wondering what is next? This is the first time in the modern hockey era, that the Flyers have finished the pre-season without ever icing a team that resembles the day one starting lineup. With so many open roster spots and key injuries, Torts spent most of the preseason putting players in very specific situations looking to see how they respond. Sending messages through the media, making subtle lineup changes, and cutting players who some thought were a lock for the day one roster. All of these moves have been an attempt to spark a new culture in Philadelphia and set a new standard for competing and it just might be working already.
Even with the lack of talent in the lineup, the team looked noticeably more cohesive and organized in their final pre-season game against the New York Islanders. With Tortorella behind the bench and a depleted lineup, the Flyers were not outmatched at any point in the game. Once again proving that you do not need to be the most talented team to compete. This is what Torts is working to instill here in Philadelphia. That no matter the level of talent on the ice, the team can always play a strong game and defy the odds. Decisions likes, over-skating players in between games, something he can only afford during pre-season, is one way he’s already forcing them to deal with the rigors of the NHL season, before it begins. Whatever extra gear this team was missing last year, he is determined to find it. For a team thats underachieved, this new work ethic will be the catalyst for turning this organization around.
On this episode of Gettin Gritty Wit It, Yariv and Vasili welcome back friend of the show and founder of The Draft Analyst, Steve Kournianos. Steve works tirelessly every season to provide a top notch scouting report on 200+ draft eligible players, while providing Mock Drafts leading up to the Entry Draft. We review the Flyers 2022-23 offseason strategy, the pre-season results, and how special the upcoming NHL Entry Draft really is. Check out this latest episode as we go through the Flyers road to relevancy.
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