Philly Cheesesteak Joints Need to Step Up to Bring Barry Trotz to Flyers

Attention, owners of Philly restaurants that specialize in cheesesteaks.

You need to step up to help bring Barry Trotz to the Philadelphia Flyers.

I’m talking about you, Jim’s (my favorite). You, too, Geno’s. And Pat’s and Dalessandro’s. And hundreds of others.

Someone needs to come forward.

You have an opportunity to outdo a Winnipeg brewery, which said it will give Trotz free beer for life is he returns to his native province and coaches the Jets.

Several teams have interviewed the highly successful Trotz since he was stunningly fired last month by the New York Islanders. The Flyers and Jets are among them.

Impressive resume

Trotz, 59, is the third-winningest coach in NHL history with 914 career victories. He would bring defensive structure to a Flyers team that needs it, among other things.

On Monday, the Little Brown Jug Brewing Company and a Winnipeg sports-talk show started a campaign to bring Trotz to the Jets.

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James Hofer, who works for the brewing company, told Sportnet in Canada that he “just thought people would get a kick out of it, and who knows, maybe it might get the coach here.”

Hofer admitted he seriously didn’t expect the offer to affect Trotz’s decision, though he said he hopes it shows how much people in Winnipeg care about the Jets.

Little Brown Jug also pledged to brew a beer of Trotz’s choice to commemorate his return.

Time to step up

Can a Philly cheesesteak joint make a better offer?

Trotz’s mom passed away in January, and his father still lives in Manitoba. Winnipeg is believed to be the favorite landing spot for Trotz because it would enable him to be close to his dad.

He coached the Islanders for four seasons, making the playoffs in his first three years and twice going to the conference finals. In his first year on Long Island, he transformed the Isles’ defense, New York went from last in the NHL in goals allowed per game (3.57) to first (2.33).

In 2018, Trotz led Washington to its first Stanley Cup. He resigned a short time later because of a dispute over his salary.

Maybe money and cheesesteaks will bring him to Philly?

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