Flyers Exit Interviews: Players get Candid About Time with Tortorella

The Philadelphia Flyers had day one of locker cleanout and exit interviews on Friday.

Among the many topics brought up, the John Tortorella tenure in Philadelphia was unsurprisingly one of them.

Of course, Tortorella was fired with nine games remaining in the season after a dispute with Cam York. After, Brad Shaw took over as the interim head coach, and the Flyers 5-3-1 to close the season.

When talking about their time playing for the Flyers’ former coach, some players did not hold back.

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Couturier Talks Recent Interview and Relationship with the Next Coach

Flyers captain Sean Couturier was the first player to speak to the media during Friday’s exit interviews. Of course, Couturier was asked about his recent interview with RG Media, in which he said he didn’t have much of a relationship with John Tortorella. He quickly confirmed that it was true by saying “Yes” when asked if it was correct.

The question was followed by asking what qualities are essential when finding the team’s next coach, and if having a working relationship with the team’s captain is important. Couturier answered, “I think as long as we’re all in it together, pushing in the same direction together. That’s, you know, that’s the main goal, is to win. We’re all in this together. I just felt at times I was getting pushed aside. I didn’t know the reason. Maybe I wouldn’t agree with the explanations, or whatever was given to me.“

Couturier and Tortorella did not see eye to eye, especially after he was a healthy scratch that season. It had been an irreparable relationship since.

Couturier would continue, “Whoever the coach is doesn’t matter. I think we just need to be all in together. I’m not too worried about the guys that we have; everyone’s bought in. We have a great group of guys who stick with one another and are tight. As much as this year has been tough, the one thing that I’m proud of is that no one pointed fingers. Guys still played hard and wanted the best out of each other. So that’s the thing we need to keep building on moving forward.“

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York Looks Forward to the Change

Sean Couturier was not the only Flyer to have a public dispute with Tortorella during his Flyers tenure.

Cam York was benched by Tortorella in what would end up being his final game with the Flyers. York had been no stranger to healthy scratches during Tortorella’s tenure.

While he was a little less clear than Couturier, York had some thoughts to share on Friday.

When asked about returning to the lineup from his benching, York said, “I thought it was better. Being able to play with a little more freedom, maybe not gripping the stick as tight, as a player, that is everything in a way. It felt good to get back to that mindset.”

Later, York was asked what he will do to get back to being a shutdown defender. While he did say he plans to have a “good training summer”, York also said, “And just playing free. When I am not thinking out there, that is when I am at my best, and I am excited for the start of next year to get back to those ways.”

York does not say that Tortorella was a reason for his step back. However, his comments suggest it might have had a role in the slip.

When asked if tensions between him and his former coach held him back, York said this:

“I don’t think I had necessarily much of a leash, but, at the end of the day, I didn’t play to the level that I can. I think that’s probably the most frustrating thing for me. You can say all you want about me the coach, but at the end of the day, I didn’t do my part.”

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York Wants Back on the Flyers’ Power Play

The Flyers ended the season with the third-worst power play in the NHL. While they did try a lot to improve the power play, letting Cam York run it was not given a thought.

York was a power-play guy with the USNTDP and in college with Michigan. He has experience running it in the NHL, it just did not seem like it was in the cards this season.

When asked if he was frustrated by it, York said, “Yeah, I know I can, but it was pretty clear early on that wasn’t going to be the case. Of course, I would have loved to be on the power play. It probably would help my numbers a little bit, but it’s just not how it worked out this year. That’s alright. I focused on my five-on-five game. I tried to be the best that I could there.“

The power play was just another point of frustration for Cam York this season.

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