Regarding the Philadelphia Flyers, one central point this off-season has been how head coach John Tortorella will adapt to coaching Matvei Michkov. While Tortorella has a reputation for being a demanding coach, he’s helped the younger players develop since he came to Philadelphia.
Flyers talking point 1: Michkov and Tortorella
Last season, Tortorella especially liked Tyson Foerster, who had a great rookie season, for which the head coach praised Foerster. Another name that was linked to Tortorella’s liking was Bobby Brink. Despite Brink getting benched in his hometown game in Minnesota, he got more playing time and was praised for his hard work ethic by the bench boss.
General manager Danny Briere even stated that he believes Michkov will learn much from Tortorella and that this coaching-player matchup will be mutually beneficial.
One notable factor about Tortorella is that he isn’t as reactionary and genuinely cares about the growth of the younger core. This is something many hockey fans aren’t used to seeing. With the goalie situation last season, while everyone’s eyes seemed to be on the Flyers, the bench boss defended Sam Ersson after some games where he should have performed better for his workload. With a more understanding side of Tortorella shining through, it will undoubtedly make for Michkov to have a great coach to learn from and play for.
Flyers talking point 2: The captaincy
Sean Couturier was named captain last season after the spot was vacant following the departure of Claude Giroux in 2022. Within the first month of captaincy for Couturier, he was healthy scratched, which caused a considerable uproar.
While it wasn’t Couturier’s best season, this allows him to truly embrace the “C” and remove any negative comments about him getting this leadership role. Many voices have said that Travis Konecny should have been named captain, which is still possible in years to come following Couturier. However, now that he can go into this upcoming season as the captain, he will fully embrace the role to help this young team.
Flyers talking point 3: The return of playoff hockey?
The Philadelphia Flyers have been very upfront about not having playoff expectations. Fans got a taste of being a contending team last season while the team sat in a playoff spot for over 100 days, but ultimately, it wasn’t enough. The Flyers collapsed, suffering through an eight-game winless streak over the final 11 games of the season.
However, the team’s crazy playoff scenario during the season’s final game was, in a way, encouraging. It may not have been enough, as the Detroit Red Wings won their game against the Canadians, leading to the Flyers’ elimination after 82 games, but for a team with no playoff expectations to finish the season a game outside of the playoff picture, it was positive, as were the side effects of the team being moderately competitive.
Last season, the group was having fun after wins, and it truly embodied what a Philadelphia Flyer was.
Fans started filling the Wells Fargo Center again, and for a bit, it seemed like hockey culture was back in Philly. While expectations can’t be set too high, the Flyers can sneak their way to a wildcard spot. With Michkov’s incredible talent, the Flyers’ chances are better than last season to bring playoff hockey back to Philadelphia.
