Flyers make changes in coaching duties, hoping to revive special teams

The Flyers made changes in their coaching duties, interim coach Mike Yeo announced after Wednesday’s morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center, where his team hosts Detroit tonight.

Recently hired assistant John Torchetti will now run the power play, and assistant Darryl Williams will direct the penalty kill. Williams had been running the power play after Michel Therrien was fired.

The Flyers are 30th in the 32-team league on the power play, converting on just 15% of their chances. They are just 1 for 16 in their last six games.

On the penalty kill, they are 26th, with a 20% success rate. The PK is only 8 for 13 over the last five games.

“Torch has a lot of experiences being out front, working with the forwards and has a wealth of experience working the power play, so those will be his primary responsibilities,” Yeo said. “He’ll be working obviously with me; he’s a good voice for me, and helps to relay messages and share good information up front.”

Torchetti, 57, has been an interim head coach with Minnesota, Florida, and Los Angeles. He was an assistant with Detroit, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Chicago, and was an associate coach with the old Atlanta Thrashers.

Along with his new PK duties, Williams will continue to work on the defensive end, Yeo said. Assistant Nick Schultz, who had been helping with the PK from the bench, will now be the “eye in the sky,” and will “give us another set of eyes and a voice from upstairs,” Yeo said.

Schultz will also be pre-scouting teams.

“Quite a few switches in there, but all of the guys are very capable and comfortable in the spots they’re in,” Yeo said.

Danny Briere: “Sometimes you have bad seasons, and you have to take advantage of it” through the draft and trade opportunities. #Flyers

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) February 9, 2022