John Tortorella

At his introductory press conference, John Tortorella recalled thinking about what an opportunity to coach in Philadelphia would be like as far back as the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. Now he gets that opportunity, trying to restore a standard for the Orange and Black emblem that he expressed great respect for on Friday.

If you were wondering just what the Flyers were going to try to do with this offseason or questioning if they were serious about an aggressive approach, you got your answer on Thursday. Tortorella is only the first piece of what could be a very busy offseason that features equally as many changes and moves as the last, likely even more aggressive than ever before.

The Flyers have hired John Tortorella as the 23rd head coach in franchise history.

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.

Does the entry of Barry Trotz into the coaching free agent market change things for the Flyers? There are cases for both answers.