Diehard Exclusive
Unlock Your Full Philadelphia Flyers Experience
This premium content is a Philadelphia Flyers Diehard exclusive.
DIEHARD MEMBERSHIP
$79.99
/year
As a Diehard, you'll get:
Plus
Join Now
Cancel anytime. No questions asked.
Manage Membership
You're already a Diehard! Manage your subscription from your dashboard.
Already a Diehard?
Sign In
7 Comments (3 conversations)
guadzilla
At this point, it would be silly to obsess about playing style, analytics, etc. Honestly, given where they are, I’d be happier if they just lose out (although I’ll never complain about them winning).
I will, however, point out that this loose, wide-open style of play is not what wins playoff games – and if the goal is to eventually start competing in the playoffs, they better bring in a coach who CAN impose structure on the team and get them to play with discipline within that structure, as opposed to giving out hugs and not holding them accountable.
As an aside, I continue to be amazed by all the polemic surrounding the team and the pearl-clutching about the “hurt feelings” of mediocre players being held accountable for poor performance. SMH. York is a good example – you’ve got 15 points this season, bud and presumably, that game wasn’t the first time you got feedback about playing better: instead of getting upset about losing ice-time, how about improving your play to earn it? Look at Cates, the Travii, Foerster, Tippett as examples. Enough has been said about Torts, but going forwards, I hope the team management keeps in mind that the players are getting paid millions in guaranteed contracts to perform on ice.
And to the “free Michkov” brigade:
1). Did you guys notice that he was getting worn out even with the ice-time he did have?
2). Scoring a lot of points isn’t enough to make a player elite – you have to score more than you give up, and also learn to play within structure and be somewhat accountable defensively (even if not at the Selke level). The long-term benefits of that to the team are far higher than getting Michkov a Calder based on inflated stats caused by defensively irresponsible play
PS: Charlie, there are plenty of reports coming out hinting to what actually happened leading to Torts ouster and the altercation between York and Torts. What are the chances you’ll be able to get some inside knowledge on this (as opposed to just stating your assumptions on what happened, as in the previous post)?
Charlie O'Connor
AuthorThe gist of the York/Torts incident has been confirmed as much as it’s going to be confirmed. If I hear any specifics on what was said, I’ll report it.
guadzilla
Thank you! I suspect some of this stuff will only come out several years later, but it would be interesting to learn more about how much of the firing was due to:
– that ill-advised post-game statement by Torts
– due to internal disagreements between Torts and the management team
– due to a few players having issues with Torts
– due to the entire team having issues with Torts
Obviously, everyone has their ideas on what went down – but I am curious to know what went down, if for no other reason than to know whether I should revise my opinions
acpoponi
Shaw had a good quote about the importance of two way play as it relates to Michkov. I can’t find the quote but to paraphrase he essentially said the stronger you are on the backcheck the quicker you get the puck to get back on offense.
guadzilla
Exactly. I think too many of us have PTSD from all the years of the Flyers drafting two way muckers & grinders and trying to make everyone a checking forward, and we see every effort to install some semblance of 2-way responsibility as going down that road.
Michkov has that fiery drive that will make him elite. But with a host of high picks upcoming, they’ll need to find a way to balance developing offensive skills with defensive responsibility. And continuing to build a team culture of “compete/work hard” – winning in the playoffs is not just about skill. And this culture starts with the team stars. TK is a great example of someone who is always ON. I see the same vibes in Michkov, which will have a good effect on the team as he matures and takes on a leadership role.
Lets hope the new coach can continue this – without fans and media moaning about the hurt feelings of anyone who is held accountable for not fitting the team culture.
For what it is worth, I do like Shaw as a development coach – he’s done a great job with almost all the defensive players on the team. Achieving NHL competence with virtually all the defensemen is no small task. I dont know if he is the correct coach for the future, but I do hope they can keep him on, on the defensive side of things, if only to ensure Drysdale’s growth continues (he’s the only Dman on the roster with elite potential).
Bryan
Unless there’s a slam dunk hire, I wouldn’t hate the idea of somebody like Shaw being the coach next year (assuming he moves on from Rocky Thompson). A guy who can communicate with the players, has a strong track record as a defensive coach, and is able to be an accountable leader would be a great change of pace.
guadzilla
The problem is that accountable means you have to use the carrot AND the stick – the latter in the form of cutting ice time and benching. And we know how THT played out this season.
If you go all-carrot, you end up with Hakstol.