Report: Tortorella to Be Let Go by the Flyers, and We Know the Date

Fletcher only observed him for half a season when Flyers ownership decided to change the general manager and relieve him of his duties.

Fast forward to this season, and it appears that the decision to hire Torts may be coming into question. According to The Hockey Writers, the first point brought to light was the poor decision-making that Torts is exhibiting with his lineup. One noticeable issue is the handling of 24-year-old centerman Morgan Frost.

Last season, Frost was utilized across the lineup, but this season, he can't seem to get into a single game, as Torts explained that he is not producing enough. However, when he does play, he appears to be one of the better centers on the team.

There's no reason why he cannot play more games, as it seems his offence and defence are sound. With the lack of depth up the middle for the Flyers in general, Frost should be in the lineup consistently.

Another issue with Tortorella is his unwavering bias towards certain players. One player in particular is Noah Cates. Torts has a soft spot for Cates, putting him in several positions of high responsibility.

However, it appears that he is not able to maintain his performance from last season. Cates, along with Scott Laughton, has struggled as of late, but Tortorella keeps favouring Cates over having him sit.

Another point mentioned is the lack of playoff success after Tortorella won the Stanley Cup back in 2004. He guided the Tampa Bay Lightning to their first Stanley Cup; however, he has gone 33-51 in the postseason with other teams he's coached and has not seen a Stanley Cup final in 16 years.

If the Flyers begin to climb in the standings and become a perennial playoff team, it certainly begs the question: can Torts bring them further, or would it be better to bring someone else in after the rebuild is complete?

Finally, to succeed in the NHL, a team needs to have a strong power play. One of the weakest components of Tortorella's coaching style is his power play, and he has been nearly at the bottom of the standings in terms of the extra man.

It remains to be seen whether he can change those fortunes and bring the Flyers' power play into a better position.

For now, Torts will be the coach of the team for the foreseeable future, but the 65-year-old may not be the man to guide them to the Stanley Cup after the rebuild is done.

Source - The Hockey Writers : Flyers' John Tortorella Should Not Coach Past Team's Rebuild