The Philadelphia Flyers have added an assistant coach to the staff, filling a vacancy left behind by the firings earlier this season. John Torchetti has been hired and will join Mike Yeo’s staff, along with Nick Schultz and Darryl Williams. Notably, the Flyers also announced that Yeo will remain interim head coach for the remainder of the season, despite the team losing their last 12 in a row and 14 of 19 since he took over.
If there wasn’t so much frustration surrounding the Flyers at the moment, Torchetti joining Yeo’s staff might bring a few laughs. After all, he was the coach who took over in Minnesota when Chuck Fletcher–then the Minnesota GM, now Philadelphia’s–fired Yeo in 2016. Torchetti has also served as an interim coach for the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings, seemingly always coming in to clean up and add structure to a bad situation.
He actually had a winning record for Minnesota down the stretch and took that team to the playoffs, something that certainly doesn’t seem likely in Philadelphia this year. The team now sits dead last in the Metropolitan Division, tied with the New York Islanders despite playing eight more games. It’s been a dreadful stretch and the Flyers now own the third-worst goal differential in the entire NHL, only ahead of the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens.
Torchetti has been a head coach in the IHL, AHL, KHL, and QMJHL as well, most recently with the Moncton Wildcats in 2019-20.
Mike Yeo…what you see is what you get. Apparently the Flyers management has already quit for this season. Too bad…the ineptness of that leadership group is on display. Torch is a good guy…assistant is the best you’ll get from him though.
with all due respect, Yeo has been given very little to work with. same group that failed under AV, except injured to Hell and back and the guys that are healthy dont seem very motivated.
Not sure what more needs to be said about Yeo. In 2019, he had a team that was good enough to win a Stanley Cup a few months later in 31st place in a then 31 team league.
He’s not a good coach.
Hopefully Fletcher gives him a 3 year extension.
Chuck Fletcher just keeps recycling his old staff members. Hilarious.
What a really bad decision. Another old guy with a bad resume with the only real qualification being he can act as spy for Fletcher. Flyers should be firing Fletcher and everyone else connected to this sinkhole, not bringing more losers in. And only half the season to go to see if can win a couple games.
Exactly!! This same duo performed the same song and dance in Minnesota. They got booed off stage. You’d think people would watch the reruns of those two clowns and know neither is up for the job. Fletcher screwed Minnesota and yeo screwed himself in St. Louis.
John Tortorella would have been a better add.
Hire Barry Melrose with Tony Robbins as a consultant.