Tortorella weighs in on Flyers’ trade deadline plans

2 days ago  /  Broad Street Hockey  /  Read Time: 4 minutes 56 seconds

Flyers coach John Tortorella weight in on the speculation about both Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen being shipped out at the trade deadline during an interesting press conference Wednesday after practice. But he was very up front about what his job is in relation to the team and general manager Danny Briere. And also what he believes he owes players who might be the center of trade speculation.



When asked how to find that balance between looking ahead to improving the team while still coaching the team as it presently is constructed, Tortorella said honesty to his boss but also his players is the best policy.



“I tell them every deadline if you have any questions, any thoughts, I’m going to answer the questions,” he said. “Sometimes it’s questions probably Danny doesn’t even want me to answer. But I’m going to answer them because that’s what I owe to them.”



Tortorella also elaborated on why moves need to be made regardless of who might be dealt.



“We can’t have soft skin here because you get stuck in the mud,” he said. “And I think this organization has been stuck in the mud for a number of years. We have to stay true to what Dan Hilferty, Jonesy, myself and Danny have talked about. We can’t fall in love if we think we make our team better and keep progressing to be a more competitive team, we’re going to do it. And there’s going to be some casualties.”



When asked about Laughton and Ristolainen being in the spotlight for a trade, Tortorella was quick to reply it was the media spotlight, not his. He praised Ristolainen, stating he was the “most improved player” since he became the Flyers head coach. He then added it wasn’t ultimately his decision but up to the general manager.



“Don’t get me wrong, you’re always looking to improve your team, we have to improve our team,” Tortorella said when asked about the fine line between getting better and trading away guys who were part of the “culture.” “Danny is listening, he has to listen because we’re in that stage we have to improve our team,” he said. “Scotty’s loved here, but you can’t fall in love. I’ll give you this, and I’m not trying to be a smartass. I just think Risto is always a target where if you end up trading him on Friday (the deadline) then on Saturday you say, ‘Shit, I need a big right-handed defenseman!’ So these are the conversations we as coaches have with our managers you talk about.”



The coach — who added a team can hinder its future with rash free agent signings where you’re “bidding against yourself half the time” — said the trade deadline can be frightful also.



“We have to get better, and when you try to get better, there are going to be some casualties,” Tortorella said. “And we can’t worry about who is loved in the room. We can’t. You have to assess everything that’s going on because we have to keep moving forward. I don’t want to speak for Danny but I know he’s listening, he has to.”



The Flyers currently sit among a horde of teams vying for two wild card spots. A serious six-game or seven-game winning streak (with most of the wins in regulation) might separate the Flyers from a few of those teams, but they’d need to go on a torrid pace to solidify one of those spots. Tortorella was asked if any trades could be impacted if the Flyers went on an extended winning streak to get back in the playoff hunt.



“We’re not there, we’re not there, but we’re going to keep on trying to get in,” he said. “If we win a few more in a row does it say to the manager, ‘Do we want to be there?’ Yeah. But I don’t think you can miss any steps here as far as staying in neutral and hoping. We have to get better as a team. If we want to be competitive and a competitive playoff team, we have to be better personnel-wise. And that’s certainly not running down our personnel. But every team is trying to get better and we have to do the same.”



So, like the Flyers did last year with Sean Walker moving to Colorado, they’re not about to cling to a wild card spot now if in the big picture and in the long run they can get better down the road. If there are pieces the Flyers are willing to part with for the right price, they look like they’ll make the deal regardless of the standings. To some that might seem like wasting a season of Matvei Michkov’s entry-level deal, but as has been the case since Tortorella and Briere arrived, they are a work in progress and still need a lot of work in some areas.



Tortorella said the lines of communication between the coaches and Briere has enabled Briere to get a lot of information and feedback regarding the roster.



“We have a number of players that have been here a number of years and we continue to evaluate,” Tortorella said. “And to me I have some strong thoughts as far as I don’t think they’re going to be on the bus. That’s not to run them down. I need to be honest with my general manager about that.” He also said both he and Briere have discussed different Flyer players that other teams might be interested in and what would be a fair return for them being swapped out.



Elsewhere, it’s obvious Tortorella has one year left after this season in his current contract. Whether that’s extended for another season or two remains to be seen. He might head upstairs and stay with the Flyers organization or he may simply call it a day and go back home and avoid getting kicked by a horse. He clearly isn’t concerned about being on the hot seat or possibly being the proverbial “lame duck” coach with one season left. “I make decisions on what’s best for the hockey team while I’m the head coach here,” he says. “I’ve never done my job or gone about my decision-making, all my information to my general manager based on trying to keep my job. Whatever questions are asked of me in this type of situation I’m going to be honest today, tomorrow and the next day until the day Danny says, ‘Get the hell out of here, we’re done with you.'”



It’ll be interesting to see how the Flyers fare these last 23 games. A few questions should be answered but a few new ones may emerge. It’s apparent that if anyone believed the team won’t make a trade regarding Scott Laughton or Ristolainen for the right price, they might be very mistaken. Actions speak louder than words, but it sounds like the Flyers of 2024-25 are similar to 2023-24 regarding the deadline: a team that isn’t a serious or legitimate contender, knows it’s not a serious or legitimate contender, and is doing whatever is needed to move in that direction.







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