Rick Tocchet
On Thursday, the Flyers announced that Mark Recchi will become the 28th member of the Flyers Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony held on Saturday, Jan. 27, prior to the team’s game against the Boston Bruins.
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.
According to a report from ESPN and NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes, the Flyers will “move on” from Mike Yeo in a head coaching role.
The Flyers losing streak reached 10 games with another lifeless, boring, and uninspired effort. That’s beyond concerning for a team that should be prepared for much more change and uncertainty over the next few weeks if nothing changes.
In the immediate, it was a move that had to happen. Something had to be done, and a coaching change is certainly an easier way than most to make a change. It’s far from the only change that needs to be made though.