Barry Trotz
John Tortorella certainly knew all the right things to say, but doesn’t have much of a filter. What you see is what you get with him, there’s no gray area. That hardly appears to be the case with Flyers management. There’s a lot of gray area right now, in terms of making decisions, who is on board with what, and what the future may hold.
ESPN and NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes reported on Tuesday night that the Flyers have offered the head coaching position to John Tortorella. Weekes reported that the deal is not done, but negotiations are in the late stages.
On Tuesday afternoon, it was first reported by Kevin Weekes of ESPN and NHL Network that Bruce Cassidy will become the next head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. So what does this mean for the Flyers in their coaching search?
According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, finalists for the Flyers head coaching position are believed to include Barry Trotz and John Tortorella. Crossing Broad’s Anthony SanFilippo also reported that Peter DeBoer is also a finalist.
As Bruce Cassidy enters the coaching free-agent market, more names of interest are entering the Flyers coaching search.
There has been little development in the Flyers coaching search over the last few days. For many of the teams in search of a head coach in the NHL – only the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens have officially named a head coach – it seems that everything is in a holding pattern.
Last week, the hockey world was rattled by the firing of Barry Trotz by the New York Islanders. As the Flyers coaching search continues, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in his 32 Thoughts column that Trotz is a “top candidate” of the Flyers.
Does the entry of Barry Trotz into the coaching free agent market change things for the Flyers? There are cases for both answers.
On Tuesday night, it will be more of a ‘B’ team lineup for the Flyers against the Islanders, as cuts have started to begin, but another chance to see some new faces like Derick Brassard, Rasmus Ristolainen and Martin Jones.
The Dallas Stars clinched a spot in the Stanley Cup Final on Monday and could be joined by one of the two teams left in the East on Tuesday. Also a look at a new coaching hire in the Metropolitan Division as a familiar face goes to Washington.