I love that the coach has this power. About time. Any decision made by the coach reflects on him based on results. Once again Torts isn’t out to sabotage himself. If he is right about this move it will only strengthen his hold on this team. Cry babies like Bill and Mjl need to go find a corner and hug it out.
- Keyser soze

Your post is a logic fail. Whatever his intent is in making a coaching decision does not grant him immunity from criticism on such moves. It does not grant him infallibility. It is easy to see that despite Couturier's struggles, he is still a better option in the lineup over some of the other players. Then there is the way that it was done with the coach not communicating with the player. You may think that Tortorella having a stronger hold on this team is a good thing but I assure you it is not.

So, do we have any thoughts on tonight’s game? Can the team manage to get a point or 2?
- Laceemup88

If I were the Canes I'd throw the game to make it more likely that they meet up in round one.

Great post. Tortorella is already at the limit of his coaching tools. He is good at getting a team to play with structure and getting buy in. Once that is accomplished, that's it. He doesn't know how to handle players. Terrible at young player development and his in game strategy is mediocre. He still thinks the ways of 20 years ago work. They don't. He scratches players repeatedly because he has no other tactics. He deserves credit for the teams turnaround but at this point, he is nothing more than a high priced interim coach. That is probably going to move into the upper office and continue being the main influencer to this organization.
- MJL

Well said. You could see the team management wanting to bring in their own coach, but not cutting Torts loose as a sop to a segment of the fan base that thinks he should remain behind the bench.

If I were the Canes I'd throw the game to make it more likely that they meet up in round one.
- BINGO!

That's NBA style 😎

That's NBA style 😎
- THE EVIL WITHIN

😂

I’m on record saying Torts has done a lot of good things this year. But if I see what I consider to be a situation where by I think he’s dropped the ball then I think it’s fair to call it out. I think from start to right now he’s f’d up the whole Coots situation. Is that not fair to question Torts….the same way a lot have ex- players have done in the last 24 hrs?
- landros 2

Sean Couturier is a 7 or 8 million dollar player. He’ll be fine. I care about making the playoffs. I don’t care about his bruised ego and now public feud with the coach.

I’m sorry, I just don’t care. I hate my boss too.

Listening to Boucher talking about Frost pre-game .. talking about consistency for Frost. Just more evidence that MJL doesn't have a clue!

Listening to Boucher talking about Frost pre-game .. talking about consistency for Frost. Just more evidence that MJL doesn't have a clue!
- jd250

He could say the same about Tippett, Farabee and others.

Torts isn't teaching or coaching anyone in this situation. He is punishing a player whose play had dropped off because he wore him out. You think Coots doesn't know what he needs to do to be better? I guarantee there is nothing dinosaur Torts can tell him that he doesn't already know. Play better? Im sure Coots is like omg Torts, thanks for the input, now I see why they pay you the big bucks.

This isn't development, this isn't leadership, this is a guy with a limited bag of tricks who likes to play head games when what few coaching tools he has doesn't work. Torts needs to look in the mirror.
- MBFlyerfan

You're looking at this all wrong. There is no punishment here, none at all. Torts is playing the players he thinks gives his team the best chance to win, and Cout's play has dropped enough that he is not one of those players right now. It's really that simple. I know you and others can't understand this, but I think Torts has a much better read on the team than any of us. Couts will be back in the lineup soon enough I'm sure.

He could say the same about Tippett, Farabee and others.
- bmeltzer

100% Correct

You're looking at this all wrong. There is no punishment here, none at all. Torts is playing the players he thinks gives his team the best chance to win, and Cout's play has dropped enough that he is not one of those players right now. It's really that simple. I know you and others can't understand this, but I think Torts has a much better read on the team than any of us. Couts will be back in the lineup soon enough I'm sure.
- jd250

Don’t think Coutsstill has the goods?

He could say the same about Tippett, Farabee and others.
- bmeltzer

Maybe so, but he was talking about Frost, specifically when he does not have his 'A' game, does he have a 'B' game. He continued that Frost can't go from having his 'A' game to a 'D' game. I don't know, it's interesting that so many people say the same things about this player. I know it's unfair to ask Frost to have a great game every night, but I think there is something to having a good 'B' game. I know I tell my kids that every time you go out there, certain things will be working and certain things will not be, but the key is to learn how to compete and be successful at 70%, because this is the most common case.

Don’t think Couts still has the goods?
- Flyfly

I love Couts, but the bottom line is his play has slipped and has just not been an effective player. I hope that changes soon, though it will also be nice to see how the rest of the team, especially young players respond.

Listening to Boucher talking about Frost pre-game .. talking about consistency for Frost. Just more evidence that MJL doesn't have a clue!
- jd250

You continue to make yourself look like an idiot. You really should focus on just getting your comments straight rather than worrying about others. Especially those you repeatedly get wrong and misrepresent.

You continue to make yourself look like an idiot. You really should focus on just getting your comments straight rather than worrying about others. Especially those you repeatedly get wrong and misrepresent.
- MJL

Well, you can watch the pre-game, but then again, you will have to put your toy hockey stick down and close your stat sheet .. so perhaps that's not an option

You're looking at this all wrong. There is no punishment here, none at all. Torts is playing the players he thinks gives his team the best chance to win, and Cout's play has dropped enough that he is not one of those players right now. It's really that simple. I know you and others can't understand this, but I think Torts has a much better read on the team than any of us. Couts will be back in the lineup soon enough I'm sure.
- jd250

Actually you are. To actually be so far up Tortorella's ass to believe that out of the forwards available, that Couturier still isn't one of the top 12. That just Couturier's ability to take faceoffs and play defensively doesn't make him better than say Nick Deslauriers. Shows that it is you that doesn't understand even the most obvious of situations.

Actually you are. To actually be so far up Tortorella's ass to believe that out of the forwards available, that Couturier still isn't one of the top 12. That just Couturier's ability to take faceoffs and play defensively doesn't make him better than say Nick Deslauriers. Shows that it is you that doesn't understand even the most obvious of situations.
- MJL

Couts is a center, ND is a 4th line winger .. I would think by now even you would know enough to tell the difference, but I guess I expect too much.

Maybe so, but he was talking about Frost, specifically when he does not have his 'A' game, does he have a 'B' game. He continued that Frost can't go from having his 'A' game to a 'D' game. I don't know, it's interesting that so many people say the same things about this player. I know it's unfair to ask Frost to have a great game every night, but I think there is something to having a good 'B' game. I know I tell my kids that every time you go out there, certain things will be working and certain things will not be, but the key is to learn how to compete and be successful at 70%, because this is the most common case.
- jd250

It's called a developing player. Who has played 216 NHL games, which is less than 3 full NHL seasons.

Well, you can watch the pre-game, but then again, you will have to put your toy hockey stick down and close your stat sheet .. so perhaps that's not an option
- jd250

Why would I need to watch the pre-game? I have the ability to think for myself.

Couts is a center, ND is a 4th line winger .. I would think by now even you would know enough to tell the difference, but I guess I expect too much.
- jd250

Apparently you're not aware of the most basic of things in hockey or the Flyers personnel. They have quite a few players, most notably Cates and Laughton who can play center or wing. Deslauriers can be removed, Couturier inserted at center and one of Laughton and Cates, can move to the wing. My choice would be Cates. This is an example of how you don't think and lack even a basic knowledge of the sport.

It's called a developing player. Who has played 216 NHL games, which is less than 3 full NHL seasons.
- MJL

Hey, all I can say is I really like the way Frost is playing right now, and I hope he continues to play that way or continues to try to play that way, even if he is not able to get a point. Play the right way consistently, that is the key. Look to drive the offense, make plays, and get more pucks on net. I think of that assist Frost got on the PP the other night where from the PP pivot he shot the puck wide and it bounced right to Tippet for a easy tap in. It was the shot attempt that made that goal, even though Frost's shot missed the net.

I do believe Couts has the highest faceoff win % on the team. Surely, that alone would seem to be more valuable then dressing a winger to play 6 minutes.

I do believe Couts has the highest faceoff win % on the team. Surely, that alone would seem to be more valuable then dressing a winger to play 6 minutes.
- Trox88

What’s the faceoff percentage among the four centers?

I love that the coach has this power. About time. Any decision made by the coach reflects on him based on results. Once again Torts isn’t out to sabotage himself. If he is right about this move it will only strengthen his hold on this team. Cry babies like Bill and Mjl need to go find a corner and hug it out.
- Keyser soze

It doesn't matter what I think. It sure as hell doesn't matter what YOU think (whoever the hell you are). it DOES matter how this went over in the room, with Tortorella barely communicating beyond "you need to be better", then scratching their captain in a must-win game, and then sending an assistant coach out to do gameday media because the HC "doesn't want to talk today" (THAT was the reason we were told, and which turned out to be true). That was weak as hell.

And if you don't think the players noticed and didn't like it -- or that the GM and the POHO didn't notice it and were A-OK with it (not the scatch decision, which is a coach's prerogative, but with someone who preaches professionalism and accountability out the wazoo demonstrating anything but those traits -- I can you that you are 100 percent wrong.


Fact: Back in November, Tortorella was asked about Couturier's very heavy ice time. He said they KNEW he had to be mindful of load management but "with the way the games have been, we have to focus first on winning."

OK, then. So Tortorella is AWARE there's a risk of Couturier hitting the wall but decides to cross that bridge when he comes to it.

Now it's early January. Couturier has played 40 games, putting up basically three points per every four games (29 to be precise) and is averaging 20:03 of ice time. So he's doing fine, team is winning, but they're still burning candle at both ends with the player.

Now it's Jan 12-13. Couturier misses two games with an injury (not his back, but something that could linger for awhile). Returns against Dallas. Has a good first game back (adrenaline?). THEN the drop-off happens, steeply and immediately.

It lasts for six weeks. Tortorella KNOWS all the backstory. Yet, reportedly, it's Tortorella's decision to name Couturier captain (which has also been insisted is acurate behind the scenes). Meanwhile, Tortorella had already taken to the crap on the players head/ damn with faint praise method he often uses.

Now it's March. Couturier has never uttered one word of complaint about being moved down in the lineup. Downplays that the mid-January injury had anything to do with his drop-off in play. Actually started playing better in three of his last four games. Healthy scratch for the first time in his NHL career. Faces the music by discussing it, admitting his frustration. That's all it was. A moment of frustration. Insisted he wouldn't rock the boat and would just keep working, which is 100 percent credible because it's what he's done, day in and day out for 13 years.

Where's the coach? Didn't "feel like" talking. Sends an assistant coach out -- who, by the way, gave some worthwhile insight about the area he actually does coach and defers all Couturier questions to the head coach. But the head coach refuses to discuss it again after the game. And won't discuss it two days later when he scratches his captain again in another huge game.

YOU, pal, are not around the room. You have no contact with players or management or anyone around the team. You're a Tortorella fan, and that's fine. But don't tell me you have the slightest clue what's been going on all year. You don't.

No, I don't think Tortorella is going to be dismissed as HC or anything like that. No, I don't think he deserves no credit for things that have right overall this year. He does. But don't tell me "this well strengthen his grip" or some bullcrap like that. This did not help and was not necessary.

That's it.

Sean Couturier is a 7 or 8 million dollar player. He’ll be fine. I care about making the playoffs. I don’t care about his bruised ego and now public feud with the coach.

I’m sorry, I just don’t care. I hate my boss too.
- roenick97

We all care about making the playoffs and realize its importance for the young guys and their development. To bench your captain and your leader and create noise seems a tad stupid….but this is what this coach does and always has done. In this instance I think he’s made a mistake.
I agree Coots will be fine.