The New New Unending Flyers thread

[Docs]

Yesterday was a good day for anybody watching the draft board, after a rough weekend. When is the NHL going to run the lottery? Last year it was the first week of May, and as far as I can tell, they have not announced it yet.

[bigegypt0417]

It's next week...either the 5th or 6th.

[Docs]

Sorry, I should’ve said I saw that, I was just curious when they will actually announce the date and time. Seems like it’s down to the wire at the last minute.

[bigegypt0417]

I think it has to do with if there is a playoff game on or not?

i wonder if they have to wait for the 1st round to end.

[zambonir]

It's been announced, the 5th.

[xogfog]

Tocchet is now available, so with him there are a few good coaches available, we'll have to see if any of them want the Flyers job.

[zambonir]

Hopefully the Stars take care of business. I think the Kings are cooked.

And I think Tocchet is probably the next Flyers coach. It's insane that one of the reasons he left Vancouver is they don't have their own practice rink. In Canada!

I would think Pittsburgh is the top competition for him, but Flyers can plausibly they say they have a brighter long-term future. So unless he wants to coach Sid for old time's sake....

Question is, should he be the Flyers' top choice? He checks a fair number of boxes and it's generally understood his resume would look a lot better if he worked anywhere but Arizona. Hiring a Flyers great is the same old same old of course, but I can't really see them going with a a college or AHL Coach (and supposedly both of the college guys are already off the table) and doubt Sullivan is coming (I would think he would be leery of working for the Flyers based on how his later years in Pittsburgh played out in terms of the ownership/front office/HC dynamic, or maybe they would be leery of him).

[bigegypt0417]

Question is, should he be the Flyers' top choice? He checks a fair number of boxes and it's generally understood his resume would look a lot better if he worked anywhere but Arizona. Hiring a Flyers great is the same old same old of course, but I can't really see them going with a a college or AHL Coach (and supposedly both of the college guys are already off the table) and doubt Sullivan is coming (I would think he would be leery of working for the Flyers based on how his later years in Pittsburgh played out in terms of the ownership/front office/HC dynamic, or maybe they would be leery of him).

I think my fear is that Tocchet is a hard nose coach in the mold we're just getting away from?

[zambonir]

I don't think he is though? I think he's more in the "tough but fair" category. Maybe was more of a player's coach as an assistant (since that's the role) but not a Torts, or a dinosaur like Quenneville or Hitch.

Where does Berube fit in that continuum, and how do we view him now? He's not looking so good this morning but obviously has been nothing but successful since shedding the taint of Flyers ownership and management (now he's got new problems).

It's too bad Jim Montgomery got snapped up so fast actually. Where's the guy the Blues fired? I guess Jay Woodcroft would still be a dark horse.

[bigegypt0417]

I don't think he is though? I think he's more in the "tough but fair" category. Maybe was more of a player's coach as an assistant (since that's the role) but not a Torts, or a dinosaur like Quenneville or Hitch.

Where does Berube fit in that continuum, and how do we view him now? He's not looking so good this morning but obviously has been nothing but successful since shedding the taint of Flyers ownership and management (now he's got new problems).

It's too bad Jim Montgomery got snapped up so fast actually. Where's the guy the Blues fired? I guess Jay Woodcroft would still be a dark horse.

I honestly don't know enough about Tocchet to have a decent opinion.

The only hope I have is that they bring in someone who can actually work with young players vs. exiling them.

[zambonir]

Toch was a tough player. He's not a tough guy coach.

Why Rick Tocchet left the Canucks and what it means for their offseason

The Canucks are the only team in the NHL without a practice facility, something that genuinely matters, especially for a coach like Tocchet who focuses a lot of his and his staff’s time, effort and thought to hands-on on-ice teaching.

Also judging from this story it would make the Flyers a player for Quinn Hughes.

[Austinfan]

Tocchett would be seamless transition from Torts, but is that really what Briere wants on a team adding a dozen prospects the next 2-3 years?

[zambonir]

They are only adding a dozen prospects with you as the GM. If Tocc wants to win a Cup in the next two years this isn't the job for him, but they will be looking for a coach to get them into the playoffs this season, and Briere will sell him on what the plans are for the cap room over the next two seasons.

I think this is also still a very media and marketing-conscious team, and Brad Shaw or an AHL Coach might not be the guy for that reason if all else is equal.

Also (bonus points to anyone who understands how much Philadelphia history is embedded in this):

As for what Tocchet could be seeking in his next deal, the Province pointed out that Toronto’s Craig Berube is making $4.5 million annually with the Maple Leafs, and the two share an agent in Steve Mountain. Mountain’s office, by the way, is in nearby Bryn Mawr, Penn.

What I’m hearing about the Flyers’ coaching search and recent changes

[VoteForKalas]

Berube has won a Cup though so Tocchet is not at the same level as a head coach.

Tocchet is my favorite Flyer of all time. I just hope he and Briere are on the same page if they hire him. It would be a bummer to see another Flyer hero like Barber fail as the coach.

[zambonir]

But nobody thought Berube was going to be a top NHL head coach when he got the Flyers job, nor when they fired him either. But with a good team and a good GM he won a Cup. He may never do that in Toronto because no coach can overcome a franchise that always seems to trip over itself. Tocchet already knows what that is like, twice. But I wouldn't worry about him and Briere being on the same page if Briere hires him.

I'm sure the Flyers would be trying to hire Brind'Amour if he was available too.

Barber just wasn't suited to be a HC - not to mention he made Torts look like a nice guy - though he, too, was a victim of the bad front office (even if he was also part of it).

[flyers19rw]

There's no sure thing when a coach is hired. We all know that from past experience. I'm torn with Tocchet getting the job. The cry of old Flyer cronyism will come fast at him. Then there is the thing of he himself being old at a 61 years of age. Still he had a youngish roster when he was with the Coyotes and brought some of those players along quite well.
As for being a hard hat, sometimes that needs to be done in order to apply accountability for performance. What Tortorella did with some players was over the top. Tocchet was not reported as being involved in any of the stuff that went on with Miller and Petterson in Vancouver. That shows that he has the ability to lay low when necessary.
My main rub with Tocchet is that he usually plays a very defensive style of hockey. As we saw with this bunch, when Torts was let go and Shaw stepped in, and the shackles were released from the offense, some of these guys showed that they can play this game. I'd hate to see that get lost.
In the end, I'd pass on Tocchet and give the job to Fershweiler.

[zambonir]

Pure clickbat I expect but saw some Rangers blog that suggested Sully gets the gig and Torts joins him as assistant.

Tocchet is a good power play coach, that's not nothing. I would be fine with Fersch. I hope Shaw would stay with either.

[flyers19rw]

Usually the AC is the good cop to the HC’s bad cop. How is that going to work with Sullivan and Tortorella?

[zambonir]

I mean, the answer's obvious there, it would be reversed. Or that the whole concept tis greatly overstated.

It's not like they haven't worked together for long time, even if Sullivan used to be the assistant (but he was the HC at Four Nations).

[flyers19rw]

That wouldn’t fly. No HC is going to allow his AC to chew on players.